Briefing Note: Non-Consensual Deepnudes and Sexual Deepfakes in Canada

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What you need to know:

  • Non-consensual deepnudes and sexual deepfakes are media that use artificial intelligence to digitally insert an individual’s image into sexual videos (deepfakes) and photos (deepnudes) without their consent.
  • Production of non-consensual deepnudes and sexual deepfakes requires access to images or videos of the person targeted which can sometimes be found online or obtained in the context of an intimate relationship.
  • They are forms of gender-based violence that disproportionately affect women.
  • These videos and images are a violation of an individual’s consent and sexual privacy.
  • Non-consensual deepnudes and sexual deepfakes cause emotional harm to those targeted.
  • They can cause economic harm to survivors who risk financial loss from sexual content of them being found online (e.g. loss of employment). Economic risk is exacerbated for individuals stigmatized due to their gender and sexuality.

We call on policymakers in Canada to address non-consensual deepnudes and sexual deepfakes by:

  1. Criminalizing the production and distribution of non-consensual deepnudes and sexual deepfakes.
  2. Conducting intersectional and gender-based research on non-consensual deepnudes and sexual deepfakes.
  3. Working with media companies to detect and remove non-consensual deepnudes and sexual deepfakes.
  4. Funding awareness and prevention campaigns on non-consensual deepnudes and sexual deepfakes as forms of violence.
  5. Creating national initiatives with survivors to support survivors.

 

Click here to learn more— Policy Options on Non-Consensual Deepnudes and Sexual Deepfakes.