In a troubling event this week, fake pictures of Taylor Swift in explicit positions popped up on social media. This shows a big problem with the fancy tech that makes things look real but can also be harmful.
These fake pictures of Taylor Swift were mostly going around on a social media site called X (used to be Twitter). Lots of people saw them before they got taken down, but things on the internet don’t really disappear completely. They might keep spreading on other places that are not as controlled.
Even with so many views, Taylor Swift’s spokesperson didn’t say anything about it.
This happened at a time when the United States is getting ready for a big election, and there’s worry about using AI-made pictures and videos to spread lies and mess with the vote.
Ben Decker, who works at a place called Memetica that looks into digital stuff, said, “This is a big example of how AI is being used for bad things, and there aren’t enough rules to keep people safe online.”
Decker pointed out that using fancy AI tools to make harmful content about famous people is happening more and more on social media, and the companies running these platforms don’t really have good plans to watch out for it.
For example, X doesn’t have many people checking what’s posted; they mostly use machines and rely on users to report things. (By the way, X is being looked into by the EU for how it deals with content.)
Meta recently trimmed down its teams that handle fake news and online bullying, sparking worries as the 2024 elections approach in the US and worldwide.
We’re not sure where those Taylor Swift-related pictures came from. Some were on Instagram and Reddit, but they were a big problem on X.
This happened at the same time as new AI tools like ChatGPT and Dall-E are becoming popular. But there’s also a bunch of not-so-friendly AI models out there on open-source platforms, as Decker pointed out.
Decker says this shows a bigger issue with keeping things in check online. If everyone involved – AI companies, social media, regulators, and the public – aren’t on the same page about fixing these problems, bad content like this will keep spreading.
But Decker also mentioned that because Taylor Swift was targeted, it might make people notice the problems with AI-generated images more. Swift’s loyal fans, the “Swifties,” were upset on social media, making the issue more visible.
Back in 2022, there was an online uproar when Ticketmaster messed up before her concert, leading to new laws against unfair ticket practices.
The same might happen with harmful AI images, according to Decker.
“When you have figures like Taylor Swift who are this big [targeted], maybe this is what prompts action from legislators and tech companies because they can’t afford to have America’s sweetheart be on a public campaign against them,” he said. “I would argue they need to make her feel better because she does carry probably more clout than almost anyone else on the internet.”
People have been using this kind of tech for a while to create what’s called “revenge porn” – sharing explicit images without permission. Now, it’s getting attention again because of the bad pictures of Swift.
Right now, nine US states have laws against making or spreading fake photos without someone’s OK.
Thank you for taking the time to read the entire article! Our goal is to deliver the latest and trending news of the tech world. Stay connected with us to stay informed about the most recent tech news.
