She came across a video of herself in a bikini online, but it wasn't her: The harm caused by deepfake porn

Explicit screenshots that appeared to be from a pornographic video flooded her inbox. She could identify her face, not her body. She briefly considered whether the video could possibly be real. Though she was aware that she had never recorded herself in a nude state, it certainly appeared that way. Even the woman who appeared in it was briefly duped by the deepfake because it was so convincing.

Favorite Twitch streamer QTCinderella is well-known for her wholesome gaming and baking content. On January 30, however, a different streamer briefly displayed a browser window with a website that produces AI-generated explicit content of women, including female streamers.

Deepfake porn lives on in screenshots

The 28-year-old could be seen in deep-fake porn on the website, and she claims that since then, her name, her face, and her brand have all come to be associated with porn. The streamer, who was overcome with shock, confusion, panic, and pain, decided to impromptu livestream her emotions to her 800K followers. She claims that this is what sexual trauma appears like.

QT, who asked that we refer to her using her username out of respect for her privacy, says that she wanted to "show this is a big deal." "This is how each and every woman on that website feels, according to them. "Tell me you still think this is acceptable as you glare at me in tears." Scans of deep fake pornography continue to exist.

What is a deepfake?

Fake videos, which combine images or videos onto source material using artificial intelligence, are not a new phenomenon. The technique can be used to give the impression that someone said or did something that they didn't. Experts are concerned that the technology will have a negative impact on public figures, particularly women. Describe a deep fake.

Some politicians are alarmed by this video technology. Deepfake porn has been prohibited by platforms like Reddit, but smaller sites, like the one that shared fake images of QT, are still accessible. And even if someone is successful in having an explicit video taken down, as QT was able to, screenshots will still be shared.

This contemporary form of sexualization, according to QT, made her feel exploited and "purely like an object," in addition to the harassment, stalking, and misogyny that female streamers frequently experience online. Pornography could be fake. but not the trauma. Despite the support from her followers and other prominent women, QT claims to have also received a large number of hateful and victim-blaming messages, mostly from men who are unaware of the harm that false images can do to real people. Or those who believe that this is the price women must pay to achieve internet fame. "None of this is my fault. There is nothing wrong with me.

The bizarre part is that we (as women) have done nothing wrong. "We simply existed," says QT. Additionally, she has struggled with the discomfort of repeatedly explaining the photos to her family after receiving them as a result of the pain of having them sent to her. She never anticipated having to have this embarrassing conversation.

Contrary to popular belief, a single image—altered or not—can result in real, palpable trauma and, for some, diagnosable PTSD, according to Jessica Klein, a licenced clinical social worker. According to research, sexual assault and image-based, nonconsensual abuse (such as revenge porn) have similar effects on one's mental health.

Klein, who works with victims of revenge porn, asserts that trauma need not involve physical harm to the body. "It's against the law. a feeling of fear, helplessness, and shame. "Your sense of security is completely destroyed when your body is shown to millions of people in this non-consensual manner." The objectification of QT's body, which occurred against her will, brought back painful memories of her sexual assault. "I experienced the same emotion shortly after seeing that picture," she explains. "The same sense of guilt and being exploited. And the reason is that it's yet another thing I didn't consent to.

I also didn't want to do that. "I didn't want to be seen, touched, or looked at in another way." The same was expressed by Maya Higa, a fellow streamer who makes environmental content and was also a victim of "deepfake" porn. "Hundreds of men have taken advantage of me sexually without my permission today. The public refers to my 2018 experience as rape. "The validity of my experience today is being debated throughout the world, "On January 31, Higa posted a statement on Twitter.

"I'm a typical girl," When deciding whether or not to discuss the incident in public, Cinderella had a lot to lose. She wants to put the controversy behind her.

However, she is doing this "for the women who really can't afford to have this on there," which is why she is doing it. Federal laws are necessary, says QT. Specialists like Klein concur: Only three U.S. states (California, Virginia, and Texas) specifically mention deepfakes in their laws banning "revenge porn" and non-consensual nudity. QT continues, "We need to do something about people who take advantage of others.

The porn may be fake. But the trauma isn't.

"That's fundamentally a change I hope we can all support, and if you don't, I implore you to try to imagine seeing these kinds of pictures or videos of someone you care about without their consent." Women like QT should be recognised for their humanity in addition to this controversy and their bodies. She made contributions, for instance, to the Twitch community. She was the driving force behind the yearly Streamer Awards, a chance for gamers to come together and recognise one another. She raises money for Alveus Sanctuary for Animals in her spare time.

'I'm a normal girl'

"I'm just a regular girl," she claims. "Taylor Swift is good. I like to make cookies. "I enjoy visiting Disneyland."