Content creator's daughter falls victim to deepfake

Content creator Queen Hera denounced on Thursday, 4 September, the use of deepfakes after her daughter's likeness was used in the creation of child sexual abuse and exploitation materials.

During the hearing of the Senate Committee on Women, Children, Family Relations, and Gender Equality, Queen Hera recounted how her daughter fell victim to deepfake pornography.

"One day, someone sent me a message on Instagram, saying my daughter's photo was seen on the dark web, and I saw her picture myself. It was edited, but her face was edited on a man's private part," she said.

"As a mother, it has been heartbreaking and deeply painful to witness how this exploitation has affected her well-being, her reputation, and her safety. No parents want to see their child in that situation. This is very cruel and degrading," she added.

As a content creator, Queen Hera said she usually posts videos and pictures of her together with her daughter, but it never occurred to her that her innocent posts could eventually subject her daughter to deepfake pornography.

"The malicious use of her identity and likeness was directly connected to the issue of online exploitation and manipulation. This is not a trivial matter or a harmless prank. This is a grave violation of dignity, privacy, and human rights," she said.

"As a mother, it was so heartbreaking for me. I felt helpless at that time. Even if it seems like your post is innocent, it's not safe because there are people who see it, and we don't know what their intentions are," she added.

Queen Hera said she hopes the issue of deepfakes could be addressed because deepfake videos are rampant on Facebook, and many parents are not aware that they are being spread online.

For her part, Senator Risa Hontiveros, head of the women's panel, vowed that Queen Hera's experiences "will be taken into account" as she continues to push for the Expanded Safe Spaces Act.

"Legislation is needed to truly address the threats posed by artificial intelligence against women and youth," Hontiveros said.