Elon Musk’s X halted searches for Taylor Swift this weekend after AI-generated, sexually explicit photos of the worldwide pop celebrity went viral on the platform. This is likely one of the few instances X has meaningfully blocked controversial content material on the platform, which has largely hidden behind claims of being a “free speech” platform to let its content material run wild since Musk’s takeover.
“One thing went flawed,” says X whenever you search for “Taylor Swift” on Monday morning. “Attempt reloading.”
The AI-generated, nude images of Taylor Swift began circulating on X late final week, with one publish garnering over 45 million views. The posts instantly began drawing backlash from Swift’s fanbase, finally prompting X to dam accounts sharing the content material and take away essentially the most viral posts. The White House even commented on the state of affairs, with Biden’s Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre calling the state of affairs “alarming.” Someday over the weekend, customers seen that they might not seek for Taylor Swift’s identify, which signifies certainly one of X’s most dramatic content material moderation pushes since Musk’s takeover.
On Monday morning, “Swift” was a trending subject on X as a consequence of images of the pop star showing on the sector on the AFC Championship with boyfriend Travis Kelce. Swift’s attendance at Kansas Metropolis Chiefs video games has reportedly boosted ratings of NFL games this yr, and he or she’ll doubtless be headed to Las Vegas on Feb. 11 to cheer on her boyfriend’s staff within the Superbowl.
The convergence of Taylor Swift and Superbowl 58 is shaping as much as be essentially the most viral occasion of the brand new yr, giving X a two-week timeline to ensure her AI-porn images aren’t nonetheless circulating by then.
A consultant for X didn’t instantly reply to Gizmodo’s request for remark.
Musk’s social media platform has been consumed by a content material moderation scandal in latest months, as a rise in anti-Semitism and white supremacy on the platform has pushed away advertisers. Musk has even performed a task in main that motion, by endorsing and sharing controversial opinions, defending that X ought to be a city sq. that promotes free speech.
Even within the face of stark criticism, X has been reluctant to reasonable its content material too harshly. Nonetheless, the backlash from Taylor Swift’s military of followers has proved an excessive amount of for the platform to carry its free speech stance any longer. The choice to restrict searches round Taylor Swift AI dupes marks one of many extra notable situations of true content material moderation.
The actors’ union, SAG-AFTRA, spoke out towards Taylor Swift’s AI-generated pornographic pictures on Friday, saying the content material should be illegal if created with out somebody’s consent. Swift herself is reportedly “furious” concerning the state of affairs. As AI picture mills get more and more reasonable, revenge porn made with the instruments is rapidly turning into an enormous space of concern.
X has written insurance policies towards “non-consensual nudity” in addition to “synthetic and manipulated media,” each of which categorically embrace Swift AI porn. The platform has a no-nonsense coverage towards this sort of media, and X seems to be performing in accordance with its beforehand said tips.
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