AI Used to Alter Gay Couple to Heterosexual in Chinese Film Release
Chinese censors used AI to alter a same-sex couple in the horror film Together into a heterosexual couple for mainland release. The digital modification of one actor's face to that of a woman sparked backlash when viewers discovered the change through social media comparisons.
What happened
In the horror film Together, starring Dave Franco and Alison Brie, a same-sex male couple was digitally altered for the film's release in mainland China. One of the men in the relationship was replaced with a woman's face using AI.
Reported impact
The alteration sparked backlash from viewers, many of whom only noticed the change after social media posts compared the altered scene with the original version.
Index analysis
The alteration signals a new frontier in censorship, where AI is used to modify film content to comply with or circumvent content restrictions in specific markets.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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