The Deepfake AI porn phenomenon has been sweeping the Internet since late 2017, which effectively replaces the faces of pornographic actors with that of noted Hollywood celebrities. However, this new strain of adult entertainment has been criticized for its creepiness and unauthorized misuse of the image and likeness of public figures.
Adam Grayson, the chief financial officer of adult production company Evil Angel has spoken out about how highly problematic this Deepfake phenomenon has become. "Everything we do at Evil Angel and in the core of the adult industry is built around the word consent. Deepfakes by definition runs contrary to consent."
Deepfake porn began its proliferation on a Reddit forum, which saw the likes of Emma Watson and Star Wars heroine Daisy Ridley "performing" in sex scenes they had obviously never been a part of. A number of online platforms, including Reddit and Twitter, have banned the use of Deepfakes from their servers, but those infatuated with this new strand of pornography have found other methods to share their disturbing obsessions.
Hollywood celebrities are obviously staunchly opposed to having their faces superimposed in situations that they have not agreed to be a part of. However, their only chance at having these videos removed may come from those involved in the adult entertainment industry, who can bring forth copyright concerns for illegal use of their content.
Xavi Clos, who is the head of production at virtual reality porn company BadoinkVR reveals that "if there is ever an instance though where someone’s privacy is being violated, or the law is being broken, we will absolutely take the necessary steps to take down any such clips. If a celebrity called us asking for help, of course we’d do everything in our power.”
However, there may be a lull in removing this content from the Internet, as pornography studios are in a constant battle to effectively hinder their pirated material from public consumption.
