What Are Sexual Deepfakes? The Reality of Harm Spreading to Ordinary Women

With the evolution of generative AI, technologies for creating images and videos have rapidly become more accessible. In the business world, there are increasing opportunities to utilize AI in areas such as advertising production, document creation, social media management, and recruitment communications. When used effectively, it is a convenient technology that can improve operational efficiency. However, at the same time, cases where this technology is misused in ways that harm human dignity or disrupt people’s lives are beginning to draw attention.

One of the most prominent issues is sexual deepfakes.

Sexual deepfakes refer to the act of using a person’s facial photos or videos without their consent to create sexually explicit images or videos. Until now, this issue was often perceived as one that primarily targeted celebrities and influencers—people whose faces are widely recognized. However, today, ordinary women, children, office workers, and even students are falling victim to this phenomenon.

We will expose the reality behind these incidents, examining exactly what kinds of harm are occurring and why such harm is taking place.

Sexual deepfakes are no longer just a problem for celebrities

When people hear the term “sexual deepfakes,” they tend to think that they target well-known figures like celebrities and influencers. However, the problem we’re facing today isn’t that simple.

From employee photos posted on company websites and everyday photos shared on social media to high school yearbooks, screenshots from online meetings, and even casual snapshots taken on the street—the range of material being misused is expanding.

In other words, the risk stems not from whether someone is famous, but from whether a photo of their face exists online or is in someone’s possession. While this may seem like an individual issue, it is a societal challenge that affects companies, schools, families, and the platforms themselves.

Photos of ordinary women are being used as material for sexual content

The danger of sexual deepfakes lies in the fact that victims can be harmed even if they haven’t posted any sexual photos themselves. For example, professional profile photos, photos featured on company recruitment pages, group photos with friends, and even casual selfies posted on social media in the past are all at risk of being manipulated into sexual images or videos if they fall into the hands of generative AI.

Until now, many people may have thought they were safe as long as they didn’t post revealing photos. However, we now live in an era where simply having a clear image of one’s face is enough for it to be used as source material. Furthermore, harm can result not only from photos posted by the individual themselves but also from images posted by family members or acquaintances.

The difficulty of this issue lies in the fact that it cannot be fully prevented through individual information management alone.

The information spreads without the victim even realizing it

Victims of sexual deepfakes may not always realize they’ve been targeted right away. In fact, there are cases where the content is created without the victim’s knowledge, shared among strangers, and has already spread to multiple locations by the time they notice.

Particularly in closed chat groups and highly anonymous social media platforms, it’s difficult for outsiders to grasp the full extent of the situation, and such content isn’t easily found through search engines. If personal information—such as the victim’s workplace, school, or full name—is linked to the content before the victim discovers it, there is a risk that the harm will extend beyond the online realm.

Victims often hesitate to seek help due to feelings of shame and fear, compounded by a desire to keep the matter from their employer or family. As a result, the harm quietly escalates, creating a cycle that leaves the victim isolated.

Ordinary photos of people’s faces are used as material for sexual content

When considering the issue of sexual deepfakes, it is important to note that the material susceptible to misuse is not limited to specific photos. Even if an individual uses social media with caution, images showing their face exist in a variety of places—such as company promotional photos, school-related photos, posts by friends, and screenshots from remote meetings.

Until now, when people thought of personal information leaks, they primarily focused on addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses. However, today, facial photos themselves have become assets that can be misused.

Moreover, the reality is that once an image is posted online, it is difficult to control it completely through the individual’s own efforts alone. That is precisely why sexual deepfakes must be viewed not as a problem affecting only a select few, but as a risk that is an extension of everyday life.

Photos posted on social media are used in ways the person never anticipated

For the person posting them, photos shared on social media may simply be a record of daily life or part of interacting with friends. However, if you post photos showing your face with broad privacy settings, it is technically not difficult for third parties to save the images and use them for other purposes.

Photos in which faces are clearly visible, in particular, are easily used as source material for editing by generative AI. Even if you’re simply posting casual updates about travel, meals, or work, this can provide more than enough material for malicious individuals. Of course, this does not mean that the person who posted the photos is at fault.

The problem lies in the malicious act of transforming another person’s face or persona into sexual content without their consent. That said, people who use social media for work or to attract customers need to be more cautious than ever about the photos they post.

It’s not entirely certain that images from remote meetings or yearbooks are safe either.

The source material for sexual deepfakes isn’t limited to images published on the internet. Images shared within a limited circle—such as recordings or screenshots from remote meetings, photos of faces in internally shared documents, or photos from yearbooks—are also at risk of being misused.

The notion that images are safe simply because they are stored in a closed environment is no longer reliable in today’s world. For example, if someone within the company saves a meeting screen and takes it outside the organization, or takes a photo of a yearbook picture with a smartphone and shares it, those images will circulate regardless of the subject’s consent.

While it is important to limit the scope of image sharing, this alone is not enough to ensure complete protection. Comprehensive measures are necessary, including organizational ethics, data management, and employee education.

Stealth Sexual Violence That Spreads Without the Victim Realizing It

The gravity of sexual deepfakes lies not only in the content of the images and videos themselves, but also in the fact that they are created in places unknown to the victim, shared among strangers, and have already spread widely by the time the victim realizes it.

In the case of general defamation or unauthorized reposting, such content can sometimes be discovered through searches or reports. However, sexual deepfakes are often exchanged within closed groups, making them difficult to detect from the outside.

If such content is linked to the victim’s name, workplace, or school—without the victim even realizing it—the harm extends beyond the online realm to affect their real-life circumstances. Precisely because this activity occurs out of sight, the damage runs deeper, and both detection and response are often delayed.

The damage is spreading within a closed community

Sexual deepfakes do not spread solely through public websites accessible to anyone. Rather, they are often shared within chat apps, invitation-only groups, and highly anonymous communities that are difficult for outsiders to access.

In these spaces, participants may share tips on how to create the images, ways to rephrase content to circumvent regulations, and methods for posting content that is difficult to delete. In such environments, these harmful acts are often treated as a form of “fun” among peers or a showcase of technical skills, making it easy to downplay the impact on the victim’s personality and daily life.

Because it is difficult for outsiders to grasp the true extent of the problem, it is not easy for victims to find their own images. The absurdity of this issue lies in the fact that their faces and names continue to be exploited in places they are unaware of.

Victims often find it difficult to seek help and tend to become isolated.

Even though victims of sexual deepfakes know it’s not their fault, they often hesitate to confide in those around them. They worry that if their company finds out, it might make it difficult to continue working; they wonder what their family will think if they see the content; and they fear that if they report it to the police, they’ll have to explain the details over and over again.

These anxieties pile up, leaving victims to bear the burden alone. Especially when photos from the workplace or school are misused, it’s impossible to rule out the possibility that someone close to them is involved, and they may become unsure of whom to trust. In addition to the harm itself, the atmosphere that discourages speaking up and the fear of secondary victimization further increase the psychological burden.

That is precisely why understanding from those around them and systems that make it easy to seek help are essential.

The longer it takes to detect it, the harder it becomes to remove or identify it.

With sexual deepfakes, the longer it takes to detect them, the more difficult it becomes to address the issue. Once images or videos are posted, they may be saved by other users and reposted elsewhere. Even if the original post is deleted, it is not easy to completely erase all copies that have already been made.

Furthermore, when overseas services, anonymous accounts, or VPNs are involved, identifying the perpetrator takes both time and money. If a victim tries to handle the situation on their own, there are many steps to take—such as reporting the incident, preserving evidence, requesting removal, consulting a lawyer, and contacting the police—which can place a significant emotional and practical burden on them.

As soon as you realize you’ve been victimized, it’s important to save screenshots, URLs, and the date and time of the post, and to consult a specialized agency as soon as possible.

Online harm can lead to real-world danger

The harm caused by sexual deepfakes is not confined to the screen. While the mere manipulation of a person’s photo to create sexual images or videos constitutes a serious human rights violation, when this is combined with information such as their name, place of employment, school, residential area, or social media accounts, it can pose a direct threat to their real-life safety.

Victims may be made to appear as though they have made statements they never actually made, leading to harm such as receiving unsolicited contact from third parties, becoming the subject of rumors at work or school, or having their family or business partners become aware of the situation.

From the perspective of corporate management and organizational operations, this must be addressed not only as an issue of individual privacy but also as a matter of employee safety, brand damage, and crisis management.

The damage becomes more severe when linked to personal information

Sexual deepfakes are particularly dangerous when they are shared not only as images or videos but also alongside personal information. When a photo of a person’s face is accompanied by their name, school, place of employment, job title, nearest train station, social media accounts, and other details, it becomes easier for viewers to identify the person.

Furthermore, if sexual remarks or advances that the person never actually made are added without permission, there is a risk that third parties will mistake them for the truth. When such information spreads, victims are not only harmed online but also see their real-life relationships affected. Trust in the workplace, school life, relationships with business partners, and even family ties can be shaken.

Because their credibility is damaged in a way that cannot be remedied by their own efforts, the harm inflicted on victims is extremely severe.

Secondary victimization is likely to occur in the workplace or at school

When a case of sexual deepfakes comes to light, the way those around the victim respond can sometimes lead to secondary victimization. Even though the victim is in no way at fault, being asked questions like “Why did you post that photo?”, “Who did you show it to?”, or “Why didn’t you speak up sooner?” can push the victim even further into a corner.

If rumors spread at work or school, simply having to go there every day becomes a source of distress for the victim. People who should be protected may even be treated as if they were the ones who brought the problem about.

That is precisely why companies and schools must establish consultation channels and response protocols in advance, rather than scrambling to respond after the damage has been done. It is crucial to adopt an approach that prioritizes ensuring the victim’s safety without placing blame on them.

Sexual deepfakes are a form of sexual violence that society as a whole must address

Sexual deepfakes are an issue that cannot be dismissed as merely image manipulation or the misuse of AI. The act of using a person’s photo without their consent, manipulating it into sexual images or videos, and then showing, sharing, or selling them to others deeply harms the victim’s dignity and way of life.

Moreover, the harm does not occur only in visible spaces. It can spread within closed communities and progress without the victim even realizing it. That is precisely why this issue cannot be left solely to individual vigilance; it must be addressed by society as a whole, including businesses, schools, families, online platforms, and the legal system.

In an era where everyone has a photo of their face and everyone posts some form of information online, this is a challenge that society as a whole must confront.