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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
World
Jessie Lau

‘Women’s bodies exploited at an unprecedented scale’: Chinese censors failing to deal with deepfakes and hidden cameras, say activists

Woman silhouette looking out of the window
Beyond the legal hurdles, women who have been victims of online abuse in China often grapple with shame, which prevents many from speaking out. Photograph: Andrew Lever/Alamy

When Ming* found a hidden camera in her bedroom, she prayed for a reasonable explanation, wondering whether her boyfriend had placed it there to record memories of their “happy life” together. But hope quickly turned to horror. Ming’s boyfriend had been secretly taking sexually exploitative photos of not just Ming and her female friends, but also of other women in other locations, then using AI technology to generate pornographic images of them.

After Ming confronted him, he “begged for mercy” but became angry when she refused to forgive him, Ming reportedly told Chinese news outlet Jimu News.

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