Editor’s note: some readers may find the image examples in this article objectionable. We have included them to show how to spot AI generated images of well known people.
Recently Facebook has been plagued with feeds showing scantily clad women and outright pornography peeking out of feeds as members scroll up. Meanwhile Facebook users have been complaining about overactive Facebook takedown of comments and posts alleging cybersecurity issues or violations of the community standards. While many of the violations by everyday users are false alerts caused by glitches in Facebook’s algorithms or untrained, often foreign moderators, the problem of artificially generated pornography continues to grow.
To the untrained eye, the posts of scantily dressed women often depict well-known actors like Scarlett Johansson or Jennifer Aniston and other artists like Ariana Grande. These pictures may appear to be of the artist, but careful examination of the images reveals that the image was generated using artificial intelligence.
The following four examples of Facebook AI pornography were posted on Facebook today. We have identified in each example how to spot that the images are artificially generated (AI) images.
In the example above note the extra leg on the individual and what appears to be a boot.
In the example above, the individual appears to seven fingers on her hand.
In the screenshot above, note the extra leg on the individual.
In our final example from today, one can observe that the individual is missing a strap on their bathing suit and the hand is twisted in an unnatural angle.
We flagged the images for Facebook to review but because of the opaqueness of how Facebook handles reports of abuse we will not know what action, if any, they take on the images. However, we know that these images have appeared on Facebook feeds for the last few months and expect them to continue because Facebook does not seem to have measures in place to address abusive AI generated images.
Because the images depicting the artists are unlikely created with the artist’s permission their use on Facebook likely violates laws in place against online bullying or misuse of intellectual property not to mention victimizing the artists by sexualizing them without their consent. Facebook has a responsibility to focus on AI generated pornography instead of interfering with members’ ability to opine on issues without the fear of Facebook unilaterally taking action without providing a means of recourse to the everyday users.
If AI pornographers can clutter Facebook feeds with pornography, why can’t everyday members just express themselves about issues without having their posts or comments unceremoniously removed?