New York Seizes a Dozen Celebrity Deepfake Websites
For the best part of a decade, abusive deepfake “pornography” websites have published thousands of nonconsensual videos depicting women, including high-profile celebrities, politicians, and public figures, into sexual situations. Now, in what is likely the largest takedown of explicit deepfake websites to date, officials in New York have seized more than a dozen of the harmful sites. On Monday, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced the seizure of 12 domains which it says have been used for “unlawfully” sharing, publishing, and selling celebrity deepfake videos. Around 1,200 people—overwhelmingly women—were depicted in nonconsensual sexual images and videos on the websites, the office says. These included social media influencers, actors, activists, athletes, musicians, and politicians. “These horrific violations of privacy follow victims into their careers and personal lives and take an immense toll on emotional and mental well-being,” district attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement, urging potential victims to come forward and contact his office’s cybercrime bureau. The office says its investigations into who is responsible for the websites, plus those who uploaded damaging videos of …







