Meta Platforms’ Oversight Board has launched an investigation into the management of AI-generated sexually explicit images circulating on its Facebook and Instagram platforms.
The Oversight Board, operating independently from Meta but funded by the company, announced on Tuesday its scrutiny of Meta’s response to the dissemination of two AI-generated images depicting female celebrities.
The Oversight Board did not reveal the names of the celebrities involved in order to mitigate further harm. But the board disclosed details of the images as part of its evaluation of Meta’s policies and enforcement mechanisms surrounding pornographic deepfakes.
Analysts believe that AI advancements have blurred the lines between real and fabricated content, leading to a surge in sexually explicit deepfakes, predominantly targeting women and girls. Earlier this year, Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, faced challenges in curtailing the spread of fake explicit images of U.S. pop star Taylor Swift, prompting temporary restrictions on related searches.
Industry leaders have advocated for legislative measures to criminalize the creation of harmful deepfakes and impose obligations on tech companies to prevent their proliferation, Reuters news report said.
According to descriptions provided by the Oversight Board, one case involves an AI-generated nude image resembling a public figure from India, shared on an Instagram account dedicated to posting similar images of Indian women. The second image, discovered in a Facebook group for sharing AI creations, depicted a nude woman resembling an American public figure, accompanied by a man groping her breast.
While Meta swiftly removed the image featuring the American woman for violating its bullying and harassment policy, it initially allowed the image of the Indian woman to remain until the Oversight Board intervened. The board’s selection of the latter image for review prompted Meta to reverse its decision.
The investigation by Meta’s Oversight Board underscores the urgent need for robust policies and effective enforcement strategies to combat the proliferation of AI-generated explicit content across social media platforms.
TelecomLead.com News Desk
