The rise of AI-generated porn
With artificial intelligence growing in popularity, AI-generated porn has been becoming more and more prevalent. This content is created through the use of photos and images that are digitally manipulated to make the victim appear in a sexual situation.
“A perpetrator generates misleading images and videos by using just one image or just one click, and anyone with a smartphone can create these images. They appear deceivingly real and are often complicated, if not impossible, to distinguish from reality.”Fight the New Drug. (2023, December 8). The growing popularity of Ai Porn and deepfakes. https://dev.fightthenewdrug.org/rise-of-ai-and-deepfakes/?_gl=1%2A1c92b0b%2A_up%2AMQ..%2A_ga%2ANTY3NTg5NDc5LjE3MzI2NzM5ODA.%2A_ga_3VF64E6XBN%2AMTczMjY3Mzk4MC4xLjAuMTczMjY3Mzk4MC4wLjAuMA Copy
That is what makes it scary: anyone can take images of people and nonconsensually create personalized erotic content. As technology grows, AI-generated porn will grow with it.
Kaylin Hayman’s story
According to this article by The Guardian, child actress Kaylin Hayman, now 16, was just one of 40 victims who had their image used in AI-generated porn. The perpetrator, 57-year-old James Smelko, targeted Kaylin for her public profile. He “used her face from a photo posted on Instagram when she was 12, working on set, and superimposed it onto the naked body of someone else.”Guardian News and Media. (2024, October 26). A predator used her 12-year-old face to make porn. she helped pass a law to make that a crime. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ng-interactive/2024/oct/26/ai-child-sexual-abuse-images-kaylin-hayman Copy
This situation led to significant emotional turmoil in Kaylin’s life. “‘I’ve had my fair share of crying uncontrollably because I don’t understand how some people are so evil,’ she tells the Guardian in an interview. ‘I can never really wrap my head around that.’”Guardian News and Media. (2024, October 26). A predator used her 12-year-old face to make porn. she helped pass a law to make that a crime. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ng-interactive/2024/oct/26/ai-child-sexual-abuse-images-kaylin-hayman Copy Smelko horrifically violated her privacy and safety. This traumatic event caused her childhood to end abruptly.
Because Smelko was based in Pennsylvania when he committed these crimes against her, Kaylin could only take the case to court because it was an interstate crime. Child sexual abuse material is illegal to possess, according to federal United States law, but in the state of California, where Kaylin resides, it was not considered a crime. So Kaylin decided to take action. She became a staunch supporter of California’s new bill, AB 1831, which was signed into law on September 29, 2024. This bill prohibits the possession, creation, and distribution of CSAM.
Not only did Kaylin testify for California’s new bill, but she also testified against her perpetrator, James Smelko. “‘When I did get a glimpse of him, it looked like he had a really sad life and he probably stayed inside for a lot of it because he was not a first-time felon,’ she says.”Guardian News and Media. (2024, October 26). A predator used her 12-year-old face to make porn. she helped pass a law to make that a crime. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/ng-interactive/2024/oct/26/ai-child-sexual-abuse-images-kaylin-hayman Copy Because of her testimony, Smelko was convicted of two counts of possessing child pornography.
Though AI-generated porn might seem harmless or even ethical, that is not the case. Kaylin and other victims have to deal with the repercussions of the crimes committed against them.
Actions you can take to fight against AI-generated porn
So, what can you do to take action? No one deserves to have their face or image used to create AI-generated porn. Though you might not be able to take legislative action like Kaylin, you have a place in fighting this fight. Here are some actions you can take:
- Speak out on the harms of AI-generated porn.“Victims of AI-generated porn are continuously violated every time someone clicks on or shares the nonconsensual images.”Fight the New Drug. (2023a, December 8). The growing popularity of Ai Porn and deepfakes. https://dev.fightthenewdrug.org/rise-of-ai-and-deepfakes/?_gl=1%2A1c92b0b%2A_up%2AMQ..%2A_ga%2ANTY3NTg5NDc5LjE3MzI2NzM5ODA.%2A_ga_3VF64E6XBN%2AMTczMjY3Mzk4MC4xLjAuMTczMjY3Mzk4MC4wLjAuMA Copy The images don’t go away and can continue to haunt the victims. Anyone can be a victim. Speak up on the dangers of AI.
- Promote Online SafetyBe careful who you talk to online, and encourage your friends and family to do the same. You may want to keep your profiles private so you can see who wants to follow you. Small measures can go a long way.
- If you are a parent, teach your child about the digital world.Don’t let them go in blind. Sit down with your kids and talk to them about the internet, social media, and online predators. Talk to them about the exploitative content they could encounter, and prepare them to report it and seek help if they or someone they know is a victim of CSAM.
You can find free parent resources here on Fight the New Drug’s website, or you can download Raise. A free parenting app that helps families navigate the challenges of today’s digital landscape.
The truth is that AI-generated porn is on the rise. It is exploitative and unfair to those who are targeted. Speak up about its dangers. Keep on fighting the good fight.
Your Support Matters Now More Than Ever
Most kids today are exposed to porn by the age of 12. By the time they’re teenagers, 75% of boys and 70% of girls have already viewed itRobb, M.B., & Mann, S. (2023). Teens and pornography. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.Copy —often before they’ve had a single healthy conversation about it.
Even more concerning: over half of boys and nearly 40% of girls believe porn is a realistic depiction of sexMartellozzo, E., Monaghan, A., Adler, J. R., Davidson, J., Leyva, R., & Horvath, M. A. H. (2016). “I wasn’t sure it was normal to watch it”: A quantitative and qualitative examination of the impact of online pornography on the values, attitudes, beliefs and behaviours of children and young people. Middlesex University, NSPCC, & Office of the Children’s Commissioner.Copy . And among teens who have seen porn, more than 79% of teens use it to learn how to have sexRobb, M.B., & Mann, S. (2023). Teens and pornography. San Francisco, CA: Common Sense.Copy . That means millions of young people are getting sex ed from violent, degrading content, which becomes their baseline understanding of intimacy. Out of the most popular porn, 33%-88% of videos contain physical aggression and nonconsensual violence-related themesFritz, N., Malic, V., Paul, B., & Zhou, Y. (2020). A descriptive analysis of the types, targets, and relative frequency of aggression in mainstream pornography. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(8), 3041-3053. doi:10.1007/s10508-020-01773-0Copy Bridges et al., 2010, “Aggression and Sexual Behavior in Best-Selling Pornography Videos: A Content Analysis,” Violence Against Women.Copy .
From increasing rates of loneliness, depression, and self-doubt, to distorted views of sex, reduced relationship satisfaction, and riskier sexual behavior among teens, porn is impacting individuals, relationships, and society worldwideFight the New Drug. (2024, May). Get the Facts (Series of web articles). Fight the New Drug.Copy .
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