The Taylor Swift Deepfake Complexifier

Swift is reportedly contemplating legal action over those deepfakes, but her options are limited.
Swift is reportedly contemplating legal action over those deepfakes, but her options are limited. Photo: Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic
Eriq Gardner
January 29, 2024

If there’s any silver lining to Taylor Swift becoming the victim of A.I. pornographers, who began circulating explicit, so-called “deepfake” images of her on social media last week, it’s Swift’s remarkable ability to inspire pressure on Washington. On Friday, even White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded, in between questions about the war in Ukraine and the crisis at the border, calling on Congress to pass legislation that would crack down on abusive or unlawful A.I.-generated images. Jean-Pierre’s outrage was quickly echoed by SAG-AFTRA, the actors’ union, which fired off its own statement arguing that individuals’ likenesses need to be protected.