NEW DELHI: Several adult content websites are using deepfake technology to show Indian film stars, including those in Bollywood, in explicit videos. Deepfake, also called manipulated media, is an artificial intelligence based tool that creates seemingly real mimicked images.
TOI accessed at least a dozen such websites which upload user generated content on their platforms. “All content on this website is user generated and are completely fake. Images and videos do not depict the “celebrity” or the model named, and are meant for entertainment purposes only,” read the disclaimer on one of the websites. The names of the websites and the actors are being withheld.
Experts point out that these videos are unethical as they make use of non-consensual private images. “The problem of morphed pictures being circulated online is not new. It’s a visual manifestation of the whisper network. These networks have become more elaborate with the adoption of new technology,” said Nishant Shah, professor, Aesthetics and Culture of Technology, ArtEZ University of the Arts, The Netherlands.
A 2019 report by businessinsider.com claimed that the Adult content industry is worth over 100 billion dollars globally. It added that there are over 25 million porn sites worldwide, which drives over 30% of all web traffic.
Deepfakes, also called synthetic media, are made by using artificial intelligence and machine learning. The technology generates fake from realistic audio-visual content by superimposing a new audio or image on an existing media file. First noticed in 2017, the technology has evolved swiftly, posing new dangers in the cyber world.
According to a recent investigation by deepfake tracking research organization, Sensity, the use of deepfake for generating nude photographs has seen an upward trend. In a report published in October, the agency said it had discovered over 100,000 fake nude images of women, created from their regular photographs. The images are created by using a bot, which people could access through instant messaging app Telegram. Users could upload the picture of any woman, taken from their social media feed and the bot returns a version by deleting their clothing.
Shah believes the use of deepfakes to create porn videos reflects the “inherent misogyny of our society” and puts the woman’s dignity, safety and security at risk.