A recent deepfake video featuring actress Rashmika Mandanna has sparked outrage within the film industry and on social media, prompting calls for stricter legal action against those responsible. These digitally manipulated videos, which showcase numerous women without their consent, are garnering millions of views on various websites, some of which even appear in Google search results. Most of these videos and images are used for pornographic purposes and are created using artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, which have made significant advancements in recent years, making it easier to swap faces of individuals.
The rise of AI technology has led to a surge in the creation of non-consensual deepfakes, with the number of such videos increasing exponentially since 2019. Independent analyst Genevieve Oh has reported that nearly 150,000 videos, accumulating a total of 3.8 billion views, have been found across 30 different websites this year alone. This analysis has been cited by reputable outlets such as Bloomberg, The Guardian, and NBC News.
Several websites offer resources that facilitate the creation of deepfake videos, such as grafting the faces of celebrities like Emma Watson or Taylor Swift onto the bodies of porn performers. Others provide paying clients with the opportunity to manipulate the photos and videos of women they know, including classmates or colleagues.
In January, the online gaming community was rocked by a major controversy when popular streamer Brandon Ewing, known as “Atrioc,” displayed deepfake pornography of several well-known female streamers during one of his broadcasts. Ewing later admitted to paying for an AI-powered tool to create videos of his colleagues and friends after seeing advertisements on Meta and Apple platforms.
Following Ewing’s apology, web traffic to the top deepfake porn sites experienced a significant surge, according to Ms. Oh’s research. She also discovered that the number of such videos has nearly doubled every year since 2018.
In the midst of this controversy, Rashmika Mandanna expressed her gratitude to fellow actor Amitabh Bachchan and others who called for legal action against her viral deepfake video. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Mandanna expressed her concern over the frightening misuse of technology.
The consequences of deepfake videos and the ease with which they can be created are raising serious concerns about privacy and consent. As the prevalence of these videos continues to grow, there is a pressing need for stricter regulations and measures to combat the spread of non-consensual deepfakes.
