Fake explicit Taylor Swift images go viral, promping bipartisan calls for AI deepfake laws

Lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling for legislation protecting against AI deepfakes after explicit fake photos of Taylor Swift were viewed millions of times online on social media sites, including X.

Democratic Rep. Yvette Clarke of New York tweeted that “This is an issue both sides of the aisle & even Swifties should be able to come together to solve.”

Republican Rep. Tom Kean of New Jersey tweeted, “Let’s not wait for the next victim to realize the importance of AI regulations.”

In a statement, X said it was "actively removing" the images and taking "appropriate actions" against the accounts involved in spreading them, adding, “We're closely monitoring the situation to ensure that any further violations are immediately addressed, and the content is removed."

Swift has not spoken publicly about the images, but media reports say that her team is "considering legal action" against the site which published the AI-generated images.

404 media traced the viral deepfakes back to a group on Telegram where users share explicit they create using Microsoft AI tools. 

Taylor wasn’t the only victims this week of deepfakes using artificial intelligence.

This week, a fake robocall claiming to be from US President Joe Biden sparked an investigation. It is thought to have been made by AI.

There are currently no federal laws against the sharing or creation of deepfake images, though there have been moves at state level to tackle the issue.