Topline
The volume of AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery online grew from roughly 500,000 videos in 2023 to 8 million by 2025, according to a study published Wednesday that found pornographic deepfakes were easily accessible through major internet infrastructure companies.
The study was published Wednesday.
Photo by Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Key Facts
A study published in the Journal of Online Trust and Safety found nearly all the deepfake content identified targeted women and girls.
Sites primarily targeted Hollywood and Hindi-film industry stars, according to the study, which noted K-pop artists and well-known feminists and activists were also targeted.
Researchers identified 88 publicly available sites hosting AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery, with 38 of the websites exclusively hosting the content.
The study found five internet infrastructure companies hosted the websites, including Cloudflare, which supplied web hosting for over half of the identified sites.
Big Number
93%. That is the share of 88 identified AI-generated non-consensual intimate imagery sites easily accessed through a standard Google search, according to the study.
Crucial Quote
“Putting pressure on the technology platforms that distribute such content to the public may be our most optimal chance of reducing the wildfire spread of AI-generated sexual abuse,” lead researcher Sarah Morgan of Lancaster University said. Co-author Dr. Sophie Nightingale added, “Blame should be assigned to the perpetrators who create, distribute, and facilitate the sharing of fake content that has potential to ruin lives.”
Key Background
Laws prohibiting the sharing, creation or solicitation of pornographic deepfakes have been enacted in countries like England, though the study’s researchers argue legislation alone cannot handle the problem without direct pressure on the technology companies hosting or making the deepfakes accessible. The bipartisan TAKE IT DOWN Act signed into law by President Donald Trump in 2025 gives people protections for when intimate images, including deepfakes, are shared without consent. The law requires websites to establish a notice-and-removal process to take down non-consensual intimate imagery within two days of receiving a notice from a victim. However, the law places most of the burden of removal on victims, who have to file cases for each image and video they find.
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