Posted in: NBC, Opinion, streaming, TV | Tagged: ai, artificial intelligence, SAG-AFTRA, taylor swift

SAG-AFTRA Supports Taylor Swift, Statement Urges AI/Deepfakes Laws

In response to AI deepfakes of Taylor Swift circulating online, SAG-AFTRA issued a statement supporting Swift & urging legislative action.

SAG-AFTRA knew heading into last year's contract negotiations with the AMPTP that artificial intelligence was going to be a growing problem for its union members going forward. While there's still some debate over how much SAG-AFTRA actually gained in its new three-year deal with the studios, the problems with protecting individuals from having their very likenesses used in some truly disgusting ways aren't going away – and they're going to get a whole lot worse by the time a new contract negotiation comes around. So when the news hit that pornographic AI images of Taylor Swift were making their way around social media, the union wasted no time condemning them while also renewing its push for federal & state legislation to protect individuals' identities in a released statement.

"The sexually explicit, A.I.-generated images depicting Taylor Swift are upsetting, harmful, and deeply concerning. The development and dissemination of fake images — especially those of a lewd nature — without someone's consent must be made illegal," the statement from the union began. "As a society, we have it in our power to control these technologies, but we must act now before it is too late. SAG-AFTRA continues to support legislation by Congressman Joe Morelle, the Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act, to make sure we stop exploitation of this nature from happening again. We support Taylor and women everywhere who are the victims of this kind of theft of their privacy and right to autonomy."

The legislation that the statement refers to is the Preventing Deepfakes of Intimate Images Act, which was introduced last year by Rep. Joe Morelle (D-N.Y.). "Sexual abuse, whether occurring physically or digitally, should never be excused or permitted as 'personal expression,' and it should never be tolerated,' shared SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher, who supported the bill. In addition, the union also supports the "No AI Frauds" Act – which would prohibit using AI to distribute fake versions of real people without their consent, regardless of the purpose.

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