Congress is asking Apple, Google, Microsoft, and other big tech companies why they can’t get their deepfake problem under control, according to 404 Media.
Deepfakes are images, videos, or audio which are edited or generated using artificial intelligence tools. They may depict real or non-existent people.
A bipartisan group of members of Congress has sent letters to Google’s and Apple CEOs citing 404 Media’s reporting and asking what the giant tech companies are doing to address the rampant problem of nonconsensual AI-generated intimate media enabled on their platforms. The Congress members also sent a letter to Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella given Microsoft Designer’s role in creating the infamous nonconsensual nude images of Taylor Swift that were viewed millions of times on Twitter, a story 404 Media broke as well.
“Earlier this year, Apple removed three apps used to create deepfakes off of its app store after an independent report by 404 Media provided links to the apps and their related ads,” the letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook said. “While it is positive that these apps were removed, it is concerning that Apple was not able to identify the apps on their own. The App Store requires developers to undergo a screening process, but the persistence of these apps illustrate that loopholes exist in Apple’s guidelines. As Apple works to address these loopholes, we would like to understand what steps are being taken, and what additional guidelines may need to be put in place to curb the spread of deepfake pornography.”
The letter, which was signed by 26 Republican and Democratic House Representatives was sent to Cook on November 25, and is referencing a 404 Media story from April about Apple removing a number of face swapping apps which were explicitly advertising their ability to create nonconsensual porn. “Apple removed those apps after we published a story earlier in April about those ads appearing on Instagram,” says 404 Media.
