Last summer, my wife and I welcomed a beautiful baby girl, defying the odds of middle age. Thousands of my followers on Instagram and other platforms still don’t know about her.
This isn’t due to ignoring everyone, but rather a conscious choice not to share photos of my daughter on social media—a parenting decision gaining traction amid the rise of artificial intelligence (AI).
For decades, since photo-sharing websites first emerged, parents have debated the risks and benefits of posting images of their children online. As social media became embedded in daily life, the practice of oversharing children’s photos, often called “sharenting,” became commonplace. Studies suggest that only about a quarter of parents refrain from posting their children's pictures due to fears of predators or data collection by companies.
However, a growing number of parents like myself have adopted a 'never post' stance due to a newer threat: AI-powered applications that can automatically generate fake nude images featuring anyone’s face using generative artificial intelligence—the same technology behind popular chatbots.
These so-called AI nude-generator apps, sometimes called “nudifiers,” are widely accessible, inexpensive, and easy to use, with some offering free trials. After reviewing several, it’s clear these tools are frequently used by students in schools, and victims report that the circulation of AI-generated fake nudes online causes trauma comparable to that from real photos. Although a recent federal law criminalizes posting fake nudes without consent, it does not prevent the widespread availability and use of these apps, which generate millions of dollars annually for numerous websites.
0 Comments
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!