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New Delhi: According to researchers, apps and websites that leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to digitally undress women in photos have seen a dramatic increase in popularity. Around 24 million visit AI undressing websites, which escalates privacy concerns.
A study by social network analysis firm Graphika revealed that these striptease websites attracted 24 million visitors in the month of September alone. This increased traffic signals growing concern over the use of AI in violating privacy and encouraging exploitation.
These stripping or “nudify” services use AI to manipulate images, making the subject appear naked. The disturbing thing is that many of these apps are specifically designed to work on women. This technology fuels a worrying trend of non-consensual pornography, often referred to as deepfake pornography. Due to advances in AI, this form of fabricated media is being propagated and disseminated crossing serious legal and ethical boundaries.
Images are typically taken from social media platforms and distributed without the subjects’ knowledge, consent, or control. Despite the fact that the US government prohibits the creation of such images of minors, there is no federal law that specifically bans the creation of deepfake pornography.
In response to this worrying trend, companies like TikTok and Meta Platform Inc. have taken steps to block keywords associated with these untargeted apps. The increasing accessibility of deepfake pornography fueled by advances in AI technology is a wake-up call for privacy advocates.
The rise in popularity of apps and websites that use AI to undress women in photos has drawn the attention of researchers and privacy advocates around the world. The rise of non-consensual pornography due to AI advances underlines the urgent need for stronger measures to protect privacy and prevent online abuse.
