Manhattan DA Seizes 12 Deepfake Porn Sites in Largest Takedown

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced on Monday the seizure of 12 website domains used to distribute and sell AI-generated deepfake pornographic content, calling it the largest known takedown of its kind. The operation targeted sites that used artificial intelligence to create nonconsensual explicit images and videos of approximately 1,200 real people, the majority of whom were women. The victims included actors, athletes, musicians, politicians, and social media influencers. Bragg stated that the investigation was initiated after a single survivor reported that images of her were on one of the websites. "We would not be here if it wasn't for the courage of a survivor who came forward," Bragg said during a press conference. Visitors to the seized domains now see a message stating the domain was seized by the New York County District Attorney's Office pursuant to a seizure warrant authorized by a New York State Supreme Court. The sites, which included names like AI Celebs and Deepfake Porn, advertised their content openly. No arrests have been made, and the district attorney's office said investigations into the websites' operators and content creators are ongoing.