Anyone with internet access can create AI-generated porn. Now, millions of people on the messaging app Telegram are using “bots” to nudify others.
A house for AI “bots”
Telegram is a messaging and social media app initially released in 2013. It prides itself on delivering messages faster than other apps and has over 500 million active users.https://telegram.org/Copy Its focus is speed and security. Along with private messaging and video call features, the app includes social networking, allowing users to post stories and create public groups where large numbers of people can be members.
Unfortunately, in an article by WIRED, the app has been revealed to house more than 50 AI “bots” that are used nonconsensually against others.
A new wave of deepfakes
AI as a tool to generate pornography is not a new concept. As it has grown in popularity, artificial intelligence is used to nudify or declothe victims.
Within Telegram, Henry Ajder first discovered one of the “bots” created to undress people in 2020.https://www.wired.com/story/ai-deepfake-nudify-bots-telegram/ Copy “The bots vary in capabilities,” the article says, “with many suggesting they can ‘remove clothes’ from photos while others claim to create images depicting people in various sexual acts.”https://www.wired.com/story/ai-deepfake-nudify-bots-telegram/ Copy
Now, more than 50 bots have a combined 4 million monthly users.https://www.wired.com/story/ai-deepfake-nudify-bots-telegram/ Copy These statistics are shocking. “Two bots listed more than 400,000 monthly users each, while another 14 listed more than 100,000 members each.”https://www.wired.com/story/ai-deepfake-nudify-bots-telegram/ Copy This is a disturbingly large number of people participating in exploitative behavior. It truly unveils how widespread deepfake material is and how numb people have become to it. These bots are being used to target women and children across the world.
The bots, essentially mini apps running inside Telegram, are supported by Telegram channels. They “alert people about new features provided by the bots and special offers on ‘tokens’ that can be purchased to operate them, and often act as places where people using the bots can find links to new ones if they are removed by Telegram.”https://www.wired.com/story/ai-deepfake-nudify-bots-telegram/ Copy
Though the bots have been removed from Telegram, the problem remains: nonconsensual intimate image abuse (or NCII) occurs in plain sight. AI has been used to create abusive deepfakes. They make it clear that they are there to remove clothing from images of people: “I can do anything you want about the face or clothes of the photo you give me.”https://www.wired.com/story/ai-deepfake-nudify-bots-telegram/ Copy
Being a victim of deepfakes and NCII is horrific. Exploitation is not something anyone should go through. Social media companies and the creators of these bots need to be held accountable for their actions. Elena Michael, co-founder and director of #NotYourPorn, told WIRED, “Telegram has been ‘notoriously difficult’ to discuss safety issues with, but notes there has been some progress from the company in recent years. However, she says the company should be more proactive in moderating and filtering out content.”https://www.wired.com/story/ai-deepfake-nudify-bots-telegram/ Copy These companies have an obligation to create principles that tackle the growing issue of deepfakes.
Artificial intelligence can be used for good purposes, so how do we fight against using it to harm others?
The importance of being educated
A meaningful way to stop the spread of AI-generated deepfakes and NCII is through education. Knowledge is power. We can take what we learn and make effective changes. We can speak out against nonconsensual image abuse. Essential conversations can take place. Awareness is often what sparks the flame of transformation. There are a plethora of resources out there. Here are just a few of them:
- Fight The New Drug’s three-part documentary Brain Heart World, which is about discovering the harmful effects of pornography.
- A library of articles on our blog, meant to give you the facts.
- Our podcast Consider Before Consuming, where we discuss the science and research behind the negative effects of pornography so you can better understand it. This is available wherever you listen to podcasts.
- You can watch personal testimonies and other videos on Fight The New Drug’s YouTube channel.
The type of exploitative behavior that these Telegram bots are encouraging is not okay. Though AI-generated porn might seem ethical, if another person’s likeness is being used without their consent, it is still abuse.
“It can be virtually impossible to distinguish between real and AI-generated images. For many, seeing is believing, and even if the content they’re consuming features an individual not physically involved in the creation of the content, they’re exploited and traumatized just the same.”https://dev.fightthenewdrug.org/rise-of-ai-and-deepfakes/ Copy
Take the time to educate yourself and help fight against the harms of pornography. Together, we can make a better world.
