Vicky Pattison has released a 'sex tape' for this controversial reason
Vicky Pattinson has done something she never thought she'd do: release a sex tape.
The video is actually a deepfake, an AI-generated video depicting Pattinson's likeness. She posted the video to an anonymous X account to highlight the dangers of this AI technology and ‘to experience what victims of this horrifying and ever-growing trend go through’.
An investigation by Channel 4 News found that nearly 4,000 celebrities have been victims of deepfake pornography. Other research shows there's been a 400% increase in deepfake abuse since 2017, with 99% of imagery targeting women and girls.
The rise in deepfakes has sparked critical conversations about consent, as their use in creating pornographic and intimate images to exploit individuals. The UK government are planning to implement laws to crack down on perpetrators.
TV presenter and ex-reality star Pattinson directed and produced the deepfake tape as part of a Channel 4 documentary, Vicky Pattison: My Deepfake Sex Tape. She says the documentary has been made to highlight the dangers of this type of image-based abuse.
'This isn’t just technology gone rogue; it’s abuse. And it’s thriving,' Pattinson wrote on Instagram.
She added: 'Violence against women isn’t new. The issue of consent isn’t new. But deepfake abuse? This is a terrifying evolution of an age old tale. A tale of power, control & the exploitation of women.'
Pattinson continued: '[Whether to create this] was one of the most difficult decisions I’ve ever made. Why? Because I wanted to experience—even just a tiny fraction—what victims of this horrifying & ever-growing trend go through. I wanted to expose the devastating reality of deepfake pornography: content made without consent, created with alarming ease using readily available technology, stripping women of their dignity & control, & leaving their lives in pieces.'
While the comments have been overwhelmingly supportive of Pattinson's decision to highlight the reality of AI sexual abuse, some people have raised concerns over the documentary and release of the deepfake.
A survivor of this type of abuse called Jodie told The Sun that sexual violence organisations 'strongly advised against this approach, warning it could compromise her safety, increase traffic to the very websites profiting from non-consensual abuse, and undermine the fight for survivor-centred legislation.' They also added that the documentary could, 'shift the focus away from the real issue: men weaponising this technology to abuse, humiliate, and control women.'
In the documentary, Pattinson meets survivors of this deepfake abuse, including Cara Hunter, a Member of the Legislative Assembly in Northern Ireland, whose abuser still hasn't been caught since releasing the sexual imagery in 2022.
She also talks to Channel 4 News presenter Cathy Newman – who discovered she was also a victim of deepfake porn last year – and women not in the public eye to discuss how it has impacted their lives.
Pattinson's documentary will air on Channel 4 on 28 January at 10pm.
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