Women Politicians Worldwide Targeted by AI-Generated Deepfake Pornography: A Growing Threat to Social Lives
From the United States to Italy, the United Kingdom, and Pakistan, female politicians are increasingly falling victim to AI-generated deepfake pornography, a disturbing trend that researchers warn is putting women’s social lives at risk.
Experts in technology emphasize that deepfakes—particularly in the realm of AI—pose a growing global threat to social stability, making it crucial to regulate this technology. One of the most alarming aspects is how cheap AI tools, including photo apps, are being used to digitally strip women of their clothes, leading to severe consequences.
Researchers highlight that deepfake images are often used to damage women’s reputations, jeopardize their careers, undermine public trust, and create opportunities for blackmail and harassment, which can also pose national security risks.
In the United States, the American Sunlight Project (ASP), a group researching misinformation, identified over 35,000 cases in which 26 members of Congress, including 25 women, were depicted in pornographic deepfake content on adult websites. A report from ASP last month revealed that one in every six female members of Congress is targeted by AI-generated deepfake pornography.
ASP’s CEO, Nina Jankovich, stated, “Female parliamentarians are being dangerously targeted by deepfake pornography created using artificial intelligence.” To protect the privacy of the individuals, the names of the members of Parliament featured in these images were not released, though their offices have been notified.
**Deepfake Pornography in the UK**
In the UK, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is among over 30 British female politicians who have been targeted by deepfake pornographic websites. According to reports, these sites have used AI technology to digitally undress politicians without their consent, showing them in explicit images.
The advancement of AI technology has given rise to a growing cottage industry around AI-generated pornography, where users employ widely available AI tools and apps to digitally remove clothes from images or create deepfakes using sexual text-to-image prompts.
**Italy Takes Legal Action Against Deepfake Porn**
In Italy, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has demanded €100,000 in damages from two individuals accused of creating deepfake pornographic videos and posting them on American adult websites. According to Italian news outlets, Meloni told a court last year that “this is a form of psychological violence against women.” She emphasized that if society allows AI to place a woman’s face on another woman’s body, it raises concerns about what kind of world young women, like her daughters, will live in. This is why she considers the fight against such technology a necessary cause.
**Women in Pakistan Affected by Deepfake Technology**
In Pakistan, AFP’s fact-checking team debunked a deepfake video that falsely depicted Member of Parliament Meena Majid from Balochistan embracing an unrelated male minister in public. Another video featured Punjab’s Information Minister Azma Bukhari, whose face was digitally placed on the body of an Indian actress. Bukhari, devastated by the incident, stated that she felt “broken” upon discovering the video online.
Last year, the nonprofit Tech Policy Press warned that the spread of AI-generated images and videos used to harass women in politics is rapidly increasing.
**Lack of Legislation on Deepfake Porn in Pakistan**
Pakistan currently lacks legislation regulating deepfake pornography and sexually explicit content. In contrast, UK laws criminalize the sharing of deepfake porn, and the government has promised to impose a ban on such videos and images this year, although a final timetable has yet to be set.
Similarly, states like California and Florida in the United States have passed laws making it a punishable offense to create and distribute deepfake pornography. Advocacy groups are urging Congress to immediately pass bills that would enforce penalties for those creating and spreading such videos and images.
While high-profile figures such as singer Taylor Swift and prominent politicians have been victims of deepfake pornography, experts note that countless other women, particularly those out of the public eye, are also falling prey to this dangerous technology.
**A Call for Stronger Regulation and Protection**
As the use of deepfake technology continues to expand, experts and activists are calling for stricter regulations and stronger measures to protect women from the exploitation of AI-generated content. The emerging trend of AI-based harassment underscores the urgent need for comprehensive legislation to address the growing threat to privacy, dignity, and personal safety, especially for women in public and political spheres.
The global conversation on deepfakes highlights the need for a more secure digital future where individuals, particularly women, can live without the fear of being targeted by malicious technologies.
