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Victims stand with Megan Thee Stallion in the fight against deepfake pornography

June 12, 2024

Omny Miranda Martone

Multiple fake videos of Megan Thee Stallion doing explicit acts are being spread online. The videos, which are being shared on TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), Reddit, and Instagram, mark the latest celebrity case of nonconsensual deepfake pornography. 

During her concert performance in Miami, the 29-year-old Houston rapper broke down on stage, showing how traumatic this is for her. Megan Thee Stallion spoke about it on X saying, “It’s really sick how yall go out of the way to hurt me when you see me winning. Yall going too far, Fake ass shit. Just know today was your last day playing with me and I mean it.”

Deepfake pornography is pictures or videos of explicit activity that were fabricated using a photo of the victim’s face and an artificial intelligence application. The result is highly realistic fake pornography that was created without the consent of the person depicted.

Deepfake pornography is a form of digital sexual violence. It violates victims’ consent, autonomy, and privacy. Victims face immense emotional trauma as well as increased risk of stalking, domestic abuse, sexual violence, loss of employment, and a damaged reputation.

As of 2023, over 98% of deepfakes on the internet were pornography. Further, the number of deepfakes online is doubling every six months. There were over 500,000 deepfakes shared online in the past year which is a 460% increase from the year prior.

The main victims of deepfake pornography are women and minorities. Particularly, we see young women of color targeted. This isn’t just happening to celebrities. In Beverly Hills, CA, five middle school students created and shared AI-generated images of 16 classmates ages 12 to 14. This is happening across the country from California and Washington to New Jersey and Florida

As a young Black woman, Megan Thee Stallion has repeatedly faced sexism, racism, and misogynoir from her peers and from the industry. Nonconsensual deepfake pornography is the newest form of sexual violence. Deepfakes of Megan being created and shared is yet another instance of her being sexualized, exploited, and victimized. The lack of media coverage and public outcry is an additional harm. When Taylor Swift was a victim of deepfake pornography, there was international press and demand for action. The lack of care and attention given to Megan Thee Stallion is contributing to the harm and pressure to silence her. 

As a victim of deepfake pornography, I know the pain and pressure to remain silent in fear that more harm will come. In my role as the Founder and CEO of the Sexual Violence Prevention Association (SVPA), I had been working on the issue of deepfake pornography for over two years before becoming a victim myself. We worked with victims and Congress to write the DEFIANCE Act, a bill to address and prevent deepfake pornography. When our bill was introduced in the Senate, deepfakes of me were shared on social media and sent to my workplace. 

As Megan said, “It’s really sick how yall go out of the way to hurt me when you see me winning.” We will not be silenced. Many are pressing Megan Thee Stallion to sue those who created and shared deepfakes of her. Unfortunately, there are no federal laws addressing deepfake pornography. That said, if the DEFIANCE Act passes, Megan Thee Stallion, myself, and many more victims will be empowered to break our silence and demand justice. 

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