In a disturbing trend, AI-driven hustlers have been exploiting stolen images of women’s faces. This in itself demonstrates the problems inherent in policing digital content. These perpetrators unlawfully take images of women from social media and other online sources and use them to create advertising personas for everything from skincare to banking. This isn’t just a breach of privacy but another instance of the misrepresentative nature of ads embedded in our culture, as they take individuals who would have little interest in the product and portray them as interested purchasers.
After learning that her likeness had been licensed for use in commercial advertising without her consent, one victim shared: “It feels incredibly violating to see my face being used to hawk stuff I’ve never had anything to do with. But what am I supposed to do about it? There doesn’t seem to be an obvious recourse.”
There’s a question here about what laws currently cover certain types of exploitation and who gets harmed by our failure to update them as new forms of digital destruction unfurl. We have laws about intellectual property and privacy, but they are often too slender compared to the possible variations involving automatically generated content. This presents a problem since several avenues for redress are often unavailable for victims of synthetic media abuse. For perpetrators, every warped objective and line of inquiry can be pursued without hesitation.
Legal experts agree that regulations should be updated to account for the potential ramifications of gerrymandering caused by AI-driven content. “Right now, the law is lagging far behind the pace of technology,” said Sarah Johnson, a privacy advocate. With no built-in safeguards, harmless people will continue to be targeted for exploitation online.
Much more must be done to end the scourge of AI-facilitated image theft. However, this is difficult when the technology that helps the theft increase is complicated, and the rules that govern its use could be more precise. Victims, for their part, will inevitably face a gauntlet of hurdles in seeking redress for the traffic in their private data.
Given these difficulties, broad policy initiatives involving lawmakers, technology companies, and advocacy groups that can create multilayered protections of digital rights are needed. As it stands, the sexualized use of stolen images in marketing is likely to continue. In the meantime, victims of AI hustling have few tools at their disposal.
It feels incredibly violating to see my face being used to hawk stuff I’ve never had anything to do with. But what am I supposed to do about it? There doesn’t seem to be an obvious recourse.
In the meantime, many users still avoid making their digital mark for fear of having their identity expressed and potentially contorted in ways they are uncomfortable with.
Here are a few cautions people should take regarding their online presence and personal information:
- Review Privacy Settings: Once a month, review and revise privacy settings on your social media accounts so that you can control who sees your information and pictures.
- Beware the Sharing: Do not freely share your photos on Facebook or Twitter unless you know how black hats might use them against you.
- Watermark your work: Using a photograph with your name or other identifier makes it harder for someone to claim your digital work without your permission.
- Report Illegal Use: If your image has been used illegally, you can report the use to a website host and possibly seek further action, such as legal recourse.
- Stay Informed: Keep up to date on digital threats and tools for increased privacy and security.
- Turn on Two-Factor Authentication: Add an extra layer of security to your accounts with two-factor authentication, a second form of authentication in the case of a login attempt.
- Before You Click: Beware of dubious links and ads, whether featuring unknown faces or implying miraculous results.
- Monitor accounts regularly: Check your online accounts regularly for accounts you didn’t open, purchases you didn’t make, or notices of messages sent to strangers in your name.
- Consider Getting Help: If you are particularly concerned about your online presence and privacy, you might consider hiring the services of cybersecurity professionals or experts on privacy to help you.
- Educate Others: Spread awareness of online secrets to friends and family so they too can protect themselves from digital threats.
Source: www.washingtonpost.com March 29, 2024
