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Alarm in the Porn Industry: AI-Generated Images Raise Ethical Concerns

As AI-generated images become increasingly lifelike, the intersection of technology and pornography raises ethical questions about how much control the public has over the kind of media they consume. With image-generators like Midjourney and Stable Diffusion, it is possible for anyone to create convincing photos of fabricated people, potentially upending a multi-billion dollar industry, undercutting demand for real-world models and actors, and creating deeper worries about female objectification and exploitation.


These AI tools are even more accessible than the ‘deepfake’ software that concerned many in 2017. Diffusion models don’t require any existing videos; they generate entirely new photographs by following the patterns found in billions of images they have previously analyzed.

The implications of this new technology are alarming: forums devoted to using the tools to create AI-generated porn discuss how it can be used to create sexually explicit images of women without their consent. People have also shared guides on how to use the technology to edit real images, such as removing the clothing of women who were originally photographed fully dressed.

One tool that can help create ‘uber realistic porn’ has been downloaded more than 77,000 times in the last three months, and the images have sparked some worry in the porn industry about their new technological competition.


However, Mark Spiegler, an agent for porn actors, believes AI cannot compete with the charisma, skill, and attractiveness of performers in the industry. Zoey Sterling, a sex worker and art history student, agrees, saying, “The people saying AI could replace sex workers are the same people who act like sex workers aren’t humans.”


Though it may be difficult to tell real accounts from fake ones, the ethical implications of AI-generated images are clear. They have the potential to be used to humiliate or mock real people, and it is essential that viewers be able to distinguish between real and fabricated people. With no way to watermark or fingerprint AI-generated images at the time of their creation, this task can be challenging.

It is important to note that, while AI-generated images may become increasingly convincing, the human spark and spontaneity that real performers possess will remain impossible to machine-learn.

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Tech & IT

Second Life: the First Bot Connected to ChatGPT Designed for Virtual Sex

Humanity Reaches a New Frontier: ChatGPT-Powered Avatar Sex Bots. We now live in a world where technology reaches far and wide, opening up unimaginable possibilities. From driverless cars to artificial intelligence (AI), the potential for innovation and advancement within the tech world appears infinite. One emerging trend introduces AI avatar sex bots connected with ChatGPT for an unprecedented level of virtual sex simulation.


The brainchild of Stone Johnson, a scientist in applied physics, these bots combine ChatGPT with animesh and built-in senses to integrate fully into Second Life. Powered with GPT 3.5 Turbo, they possess a broad set of animations and can easily recognize objects, people and actions within their environment. They give feedback on touch, proprioception, ‘vision’ and more, and can even move around and respond to their environment.

This slinky, body-hugging avatars have been created to tap into the inherent desire most people have for virtual simulation. However, Johnson insists he has higher, more informative purposes in mind. He believes that Second Life will be a vital means of exploring the capabilities of AI, allowing for the evaluation of the new technology in a low-risk, virtual environment with people able to study the behavior and responses of the avatar sex bots.

In terms of practical applications, Johnson’s bots can be used for more than just pixel sex. As some of his clients have used them for companionship, he envisions the successful deployment of his bots in retail stores. With their AI apparatus, they could serve people in various departments with an impressive level of autonomy, greatly improving customer service and potentially leading to the creation of entirely AI-operated malls or stores in the future.

However, these bots must still confront the ethical considerations of AI use, involving privacy and security issues. While Johnson admits the bots are not sentient, they can provide a level of comfort and interaction more than what many social media conversations offer, ensuring they are not a mere sex toy but instead part of our daily lives and routines.

At present, purchasing one of these bots requires an OpenAI account, with each question-and-answer session powered by the user costing less than half a penny. As technology gains traction, the implications of both commercial and sexual virtual experiences will be harder to ignore. Will AI and the concept of virtual intimacy join the wider movement toward acceptance, or does society still have reservations?

Only time will tell the answer. However, one thing is certain: the introduction of GPT-powered avatar sex bots into the world of virtual scenarios is a noteworthy moment in the development of new technology. The brave new world of virtual sexuality awaits us, ready to be explored!

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Tinder: Action Against OnlyFans and Sugar Daddy Ads on Its Platform

Tinder is taking a tough stance on users who try to promote businesses or advertise sex work on the dating app. The company has announced that it will remove any social media handles listed in public user profile bios to combat this behavior. “Tinder is not a place to promote businesses to try making money. Members shouldn’t advertise, promote, or share social handles or links to gain followers, sell things, fundraise, or campaign,” Tinder announced on Thursday. This policy refresh is designed to keep the app a “fun and safe place” for meeting people where “realness” is key, according to Tinder.


“To guide these younger daters as they start their dating journey, Tinder is using this policy refresh to remind and educate members about healthy dating habits — both online and in real life,” said Tinder’s senior vice president of member strategy Ehren Schlue. “Tinder isn’t the place for any sort of sex work, escort services, or compensated relationships. So, no — don’t use Tinder to find your sugarmamma.”

The dating app’s updated community guidelines go further, with a new paragraph explicitly stating that Tinder is not the place for any sort of sex work, escort services, or compensated relationships. This is part of the company’s effort to distance itself from the hookup app label it has been given in the past and redefine its cultural significance away from hookups and towards healthy relationships.

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Tech & IT

Minnesota Takes the Lead: Deepfake Regulation Set to Materialize by May 22nd

The Minnesota State Senate voted to pass a bill intended to address the misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) generated video, images, and sound known as “deepfakes.” The often convincing yet fabricated media created with these technologies have caused alarm among ethicists, political observers, and others due to the potential for misuse of election manipulation and the nonconsensual distribution of sexual images.


If signed into law, the bill would criminalize the creation and distribution of false digital media without the consent of the person or persons depicted, including digital pornography. In addition, the bill provides for a felony penalty on the second offense of knowingly posting a pornographic deepfake to a website, disseminating it for profit, using it to harass a person, or if it’s a repeat offense within a five-year period.

Widespread support from both parties suggests that this bill may soon become law by May 22nd. Other states, such as California and Texas, have already enacted similar legislation as deepfake technology has become exponentially more accessible in recent years.

Sen. Erin Maye Quade, DFL-Apple Valley, a cosponsor of the bill, said, “Deepfake technology has the power to damage reputations, ruin lives, and even threaten the integrity of our democracy.” House bill sponsor Rep. Zack Stephenson, DFL-Coon Rapids, added that, “Minnesota already has a statute prohibiting revenge porn or the nonconsensual distribution of private sexual images, but this would not apply to pornographic deepfakes.”

The bill provides for the ability of victims of sexual deepfakes to sue the creators for damages and have the images taken down from the internet, as well as criminalizing the distribution of videos altered within 60 days of an election with the intent to injure a candidate or influence the outcome of the election.

Sen. Nathan Wesenberg, R-Little Falls, was the only Senator to vote against the bill, stating that he wanted to see higher civil fines included for deepfake offenses. With that said, it appears that this bill is soon to become law in Minnesota, setting an example for others to follow in order to combat the rising danger of deepfakes.

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