Google bans deepfake-porn ads as ‘egregious’ AI nudes surge

Google is sending a stern message to advertisers: Do not affiliate with the dark side of AI. The search engine is cracking down on the promotion of deepfake pornography, the act of using artificial intelligence to modify or alter a person’s face or body to depict sexual scenes. The tech titan is giving advertisers a tight deadline to dump all business with sites involved with the unethical tactic.

New Advertising Policy Update

A new ad policy released by Google targets “ sites or apps that claim to generate deepfake pornography, instructions on how to create deepfake pornography, endorsing or comparing deepfake pornography services.” “This update is to explicitly prohibit advertisements for services that offer to create deepfake pornography or synthetic nude content,” Google spokesperson Michael Aciman told The Verge. Consequently, Google’s change regarding ads for deepfake porn will kick in on May 30, and ads within that “scope” will be banned starting May 30, according to the updated policy.

Strict Enforcement and Penalties

“We take violations of this policy very seriously and consider them egregious,” it reads. Google is cracking down on ads that promote deepfake porn with significant consequences for those who bypass the rules. “If we find violations of this policy, we will suspend your Google Ads accounts upon detection and without prior warning, and you will not be allowed to advertise with us again.” To highlight the scale of previous actions, last year, Google removed nearly 2 billion ads for violating sexual content policies.

Policy Summary and Data

  • Effective Date: May 30
  • Target Content: Sites or apps that claim to generate deepfake pornography or synthetic nude content
  • Enforcement Action: Immediate account suspension without prior warning
  • Historical Enforcement: Nearly 2 billion ads removed last year for violating sexual content policies

The Impact on Individuals and Society

Problems with deepfakes are running rampant online with the issue also also impacting teens. Los Angeles schools are warning parents that deepfakes of students are circulating throughout California at locations like Beverly Hills High School. Celebrities like Taylor Swift, Jenna Ortega, and Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez have also been targeted by deepfakes. In a notable instance of the trend, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio Cortez’s image was unethically manipulated into deepfake porn.