Model misuse produces deepfakes and AI-generated pornography
Model 叶凯薇 reported that nonconsensual deepfake pornographic videos of her were created and distributed using AI face-swap technology. Shanghai police confirmed the videos were fabricated and opened an investigation. Separately, a Hubei man was convicted of writing AI-generated pornography for profit.
What happened
Model 叶凯薇 discovered in 2024 that she had been the subject of synthetic intimate videos created using AI face-swap technology, which were widely distributed online among industry peers and photographers.
叶凯薇 collected evidence and filed a police report with Shanghai authorities. The Shanghai Public Security Bureau opened an investigation on November 27, 2024, and a forensic examination confirmed the video was composited and fabricated using technical means.
Separately, a man in Hubei province was sentenced to 10 months in jail for using AI to write pornographic fiction for profit.
Reported impact
叶凯薇 reported the deepfake videos caused her serious distress.
The incident renewed public attention to misuse of face-swap technology for unlawful infringement and privacy violations.
Index analysis
Legal expert 罗平 identified multiple legal risks including infringement of likeness rights, use in criminal activity, invasion of privacy, personal information violations, and copyright infringement.
Academics called for new rules to set clear boundaries on AI use, standards for technology development, and moral education to resist exploitative content, with both legal and ethical enforcement mechanisms needed.
Governance controls
Individuals are advised to avoid posting high-resolution facial images on social media, preserve evidence of infringement promptly, and pursue legal remedies.
Platform operators should establish AI content review mechanisms, respond promptly to infringement complaints, and label AI-generated content.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.