Swifties Win a Battle Against Deepfakes
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People searching for Taylor Swift-related content on X over the weekend may have been surprised to find zero results, alongside the following message: “Don’t fret—it’s not your fault.” The platform paused certain Taylor Swift-related searches after AI-generated deepfakes portraying Swift in sexually explicit situations and contexts began spreading through the platform (as well as Telegram and Reddit) late last week.
Predictably, Swift’s legions of fans (a.k.a. Swifties) quickly sprang into action, channeling their anger, disgust, and hurt into an organized effort to redirect users away from the deepfakes. They filed complaints. They blocked users. They swarmed against the images in such large numbers that the hashtag #ProtectTaylorSwift began trending on X.
The result? Where many others have failed to get X to block or remove pornographic or hate-fueling content, it appears that the Swifties’ dedication and tenacity succeeded. The images have since been removed from the platform, and as of yesterday morning, searches for Taylor Swift on X have been restored to normal. But the impact of the event still lingers with everyone from Microsoft (whose free text-to-image GenAI program Designer was believed to have been used to create deepfakes) to Congress and even the White Houseweighing in on the issue, and raising hopes that the episode could help spur authorities to attempt to address the phenomena of unauthorized sexually explicit deepfakes that persist for other victims.
Meanwhile, with 2024 being “the biggest election year in history,” as more than 2 billion people around the globe head to the polls to vote for heads of state in 50 national elections, others remain concerned about less prurient deepfakes circulating via social media.
Why it matters The apprehension surrounding AI-generated images—and the apparent lack of limits regarding what prompts individuals can use to make imagery, videos, and other content—is especially heightened when it comes to invasion of privacy and the safety of minors online. To address this, brands should acknowledge the critical importance of AI governance while also including reassurances in key messaging across communication channels, ensuring the trust, safety, and privacy of consumers.
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Other news and headlines
- The first neuralink implant. Yesterday, Elon Musk confirmed that the first human successfully received a Neuralink implant, a brain chip placed to interpret an individual's neural activity and control external devices—such as a smartphone or laptop—with their thoughts. The device is still undergoing clinical trials, with an invitation for those with quadriplegia from ALS or a spinal cord injury to partake. However, the chip has faced several regulatory hurdles due to safety concerns, and it seems as though consumer sentiment online echoes the same hesitations.
- Trending across socials: Megan Thee Stallion vs. Nicki Minaj. A years’-long feud came to a head when Megan Thee Stallion dropped her latest single last Friday, titled "Hiss." While the rapper does not explicitly mention Nicki Minaj by name, fans quickly theorized that her verse citing Megan's Law, legislation that requires registered sex offenders to be made public, was a dig at Minaj's husband (a registered offender himself). After a several-day rant across X and IG Live, Minaj released "Big Foot" in response, though many agree it is subpar, and that Minaj is only digging a deeper hole for herself in engaging so fervently.
- Trending on TikTok: Reheated rice syndrome. People are now concerned about the safety of day-old rice after a food editor for Food52 went viral stitching a medical student's video about reheating rice. Em, the food editor, expanded on the type of bacteria that grows in rice–bacillus cereus–being heat resistant and causing severe food poisoning, urging folks to store rice an hour after cooking it and only reheating it once the next day before throwing it away. Naturally, users are distraught and questioning the validity of this information, though one food scientist and chemical engineer has since responded, reassuring TikTokers that, so long as they follow proper refrigeration techniques, their rice is safe to consume for three to six days.
Contributors: Head of Social Content and Engagement Strategy Cristina Lawrence, Senior Vice President Jerry Lawrence, Group Vice President Andrew McKernan, and Senior Vice President Tammy Pepito.
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