Deepfake: Taylor Swift targeted by AI-generated sexually explicit images on X

Taylor Swift

, the pop icon, became the latest victim of a disturbing trend:

deepfakes

.

Sexually explicit images

of Swift, generated by artificial intelligence, flooded

social media platform

X this week, raising concerns about

online safety

and the ethical implications of AI technology.
The deepfakes amassed millions of views before

X

intervened. One particularly egregious example garnered over 47 million views, 24,000 reposts, and thousands of likes, before the account was suspended.

According to a report by The Verge, this particular post was live for 17 hours before it was removed.
Multiple online reports suggest the images originated on a Telegram channel known for sharing

AI-generated

pornography. This "leak" onto X then propelled the deepfakes into mainstream view, with the term "

Taylor Swift AI

" trending in several regions.
Swift's fans — also known as Swifties — understandably alarmed and outraged, mobilised to report the content, but the damage was already done as millions saw the images.

What X has to say

While X didn’t make any official comment, the safety team did put post on the social media platform. Without any reference to Swift, X’s Safety team said, “Posting Non-Consensual Nudity (NCN) images is strictly prohibited on X and we have a zero-tolerance policy towards such content. Our teams are actively removing all identified images and taking appropriate actions against the accounts responsible for posting them. We're closely monitoring the situation to ensure that any further violations are immediately addressed, and the content is removed. We're committed to maintaining a safe and respectful environment for all users.”

The incident also raises questions about the responsibility of social media platforms. X, despite its efforts to remove the content, was criticised for its slow response and lax content moderation policies.
Swift hasn’t made any comment on the images or handling of the incident by X.