Entertainment
Deepfake Explicit Images Of Taylor Swift Spread On Social Media. Her Fans Are Fighting Back
NEW YORK — Pornographic deepfake photos of Taylor Swift are circulating online, making her the most visible victim of a problem that tech companies and anti-abuse organisations have struggled to address.
This week, sexually obscene and abusive, false photographs of Swift became viral on the social networking platform X.
Her devoted “Swifties” soon rallied, launching a counteroffensive on the platform formerly known as Twitter with a #ProtectTaylorSwift hashtag to flood it with more favourable images of the pop diva. Some said they were reporting accounts that were spreading deepfakes.
Reality Defender, a deepfake detection company, said it had tracked a flood of nonconsensual sexual material featuring Swift, particularly on X. Some photographs also made their way into Meta’s Facebook and other social media sites.
Deepfake Explicit Images Of Taylor Swift Spread On Social Media. Her Fans Are Fighting Back
“Unfortunately, they spread to millions and millions of users by the time that some of them were taken down,” said Mason Allen, Reality Defender’s head of growth.
The researchers discovered at least a few dozen unique AI-generated photos. The most popular were football-related, depicting a painted or bleeding Swift, which objectified her and, in some cases, inflicted violence on her deepfake character.
According to researchers, the quantity of explicit deepfakes has increased in recent years as the technology for creating such images has become more accessible and user-friendly. These images primarily targeted women, according to a 2019 analysis by AI startup DeepTrace Labs. According to reports, the majority of the dead were South Korean K-pop singers and Hollywood actors.
Brittany Spanos, a senior writer at Rolling Stone who teaches a Swift course at New York University, says Swift’s fans quickly rally in favour of their artist, particularly those who take their devotion seriously and in cases of misconduct.
“This could be a huge deal if she does pursue it to court,” she said.
Deepfake Explicit Images Of Taylor Swift Spread On Social Media. Her Fans Are Fighting Back
Spanos says Swift’s deep fake pornography issue is similar to others she has had in the past, citing her 2017 lawsuit against a radio station DJ who allegedly groped her; jurors awarded Swift $1 in damages, which her attorney, Douglas Baldridge, called “a single symbolic dollar, the value of which is immeasurable to all women in this situation” in the midst of the MeToo movement. (The $1 lawsuit became a pattern later, as seen in Gwyneth Paltrow’s 2023 countersuit against a skier.)
When asked for comment on the false Swift photographs, X linked The Associated Press to a post from its safety account, which stated that the firm strongly bans the distribution of nonconsensual nude images on its platform. Since Elon Musk took over the platform in 2022, the business has significantly reduced the size of its content-moderation teams.
“Our teams are actively removing all identified images and taking appropriate actions against the accounts responsible for posting them,” the business stated in an X post early Friday morning. “We’re closely monitoring the situation to ensure that any further violations are immediately addressed, and the content is removed.”
Meanwhile, Meta stated that it strongly opposes “the content that has appeared across different internet services” and is working to remove it.
“We continue to monitor our platforms for this violating content and will take appropriate action as needed,” the business stated.
A Swift spokesperson did not immediately reply to a request for comment Friday.
Allen stated that the researchers are 90% certain that diffusion models made the images, a generative artificial intelligence model capable of producing fresh and photorealistic images from written instructions. The most well-known are Stable Diffusion, Midjourney, and OpenAI’s DALL-E. Allen’s group should have attempted to uncover the origins.
OpenAI stated that it had measures to prohibit the development of damaging information and “decline requests that ask for a public figure by name, including Taylor Swift.”
Deepfake Explicit Images Of Taylor Swift Spread On Social Media. Her Fans Are Fighting Back
Microsoft, which provides an image generator based partly on DALL-E, said Friday that it looked into whether its product had been abused. Like other commercial AI services, it stated that it does not allow “adult or nonconsensual intimate content, and any repeated attempts to produce content that goes against our policies may result in loss of access to the service.”
When asked about the Swift deepfakes on “NBC Nightly News,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella told anchor Lester Holt in an interview broadcast Tuesday that there is still more work to be done in terms of establishing AI protections and that “it behoves us to move fast on this.”
“Absolutely, this is alarming and terrible, and so therefore, yes, we have to act,” Nadella said in a statement.
Midjourney, OpenAI, and Stability AI, the makers of Stable Diffusion, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Federal politicians who have submitted proposals to increase restrictions or criminalise deepfake pornography said the event demonstrates why the United States has to establish stronger safeguards.
“For years, women have been victims of nonconsensual deepfakes, so what happened to Taylor Swift is more common than most people realise,” said U.S. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke, a Democrat from New York who has presented legislation requiring producers to digitally watermark deepfakes.
“Generative-AI is helping create better deepfakes at a fraction of the cost,” Clarke said.
U.S. Rep. Joe Morelle, another New York Democrat who is supporting a bill to criminalise the spreading of deepfake pornography online, said Swift’s situation was alarming and has grown increasingly common on the internet.
“The images may be fake, but the consequences are very real,” Morelle said. “Deepfakes are happening every day to women everywhere in our increasingly digital world, and it’s time to put a stop to them.”
SOURCE – (AP)
Kiara Grace is a staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. Her writing focuses on technology trends, particularly in the realm of consumer electronics and software. With a keen eye for detail and a knack for breaking down complex topics.
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Entertainment
Taylor Swift Will Rule Spotify In 2024. Hidden Beneath Record-Breaking Streaming
(VOR News) – Within the context of the level of fame that Spotify has achieved, the effect that Taylor Swift has exerted on the platform is still considered to be unrivalled for the time being.
The artist of “I Can Do It With a Broken Heart” has been acknowledged as the most-played musician on Spotify globally in the past two years. This honour was conferred upon the musician.
The musician who attained this accomplishment is being honoured by this accolade. This accolade was bestowed upon the performer as a token of appreciation for the accomplishments that they had accomplished throughout their career.
One of the people who was recognised with this honour was the person who is responsible for performing the vocals for the song that was discovered on Spotify. Additionally, this recognition has been bestowed upon the musician.
In a statement that was issued by the streaming service on December 4, it was declared that Taylor Swift has once again been given the title of “most popular female artist.” This announcement was made in accordance with the following statement.
Taylor Swift made this information public on Wednesday.
Additionally, the company adds that the music of Taylor Swift has been streamed more than 26.6 billion times, which is an incredible amount of times. After that, the four musicians listed below are going to be able to secure a spot in the top five:
Billie Eilish, The Weeknd, Bad Bunny, and Drake are all included. Every one of these four musicians has a good chance of making it into the top five overall. Billie Eilish will make her debut in the music industry alongside Drake; this will be her first album.
It was the very first time that something comparable had ever taken place on the streaming network, and it was when a Wrapped badge was placed to Taylor Swift’s profile on Spotify. When something like this took place, it was the very first time that it had ever taken place.
This kind of thing had never actually taken place in the past. This was the first of its sort from the perspective of the streaming service, and it was also the first of its kind in general.
In addition, Spotify added this function as a manner of acknowledging and paying tribute to Taylor Swift’s exceptional success, which was still another additional way in which they did so.
In addition, Spotify is going to provide its users with an Easter egg experience, which will present them with one-of-a-kind animations that correspond to each step of her career. It is going to be made available to customers.
Taylor Swift details will be available to interested parties.
When the opportunity to take part in this event becomes accessible to individuals, they will be given the opportunity to do so without any delay occurring.
The Spotify Play Button, which will be the location where these animations are presented, will be the location where each and every one of these animations will be displayed.
The record for most streams in the year 2024 was set by the album The Tortured Poets Department, which was released for the first time in April of 2024, during Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, which was a particularly remarkable tour. There was distribution of the album.
Additionally, it was the record that accumulated the most cumulative number of streams in the entirety of the record. This particular album received the most number of streams by a significant margin when compared to other albums that were published during that time period.
One thing that has been observed is that the top five also include a number of other musical compositions that are significant due to the fact that they feature their own unique characteristics. This is something that has been noticed.
The songs “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT” by Eilish, “Short n’ Sweet” by Sabrina Carpenter, “MAÑANA SERÁ BONITO” by KAROL G, and “Eternal sunshine” by Taylor Swift Ariana Grande are all examples of songs that can be classified as belonging to this particular genre according to the criteria that have been established. To name just a few examples, here are several.
SOURCE: DJ
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“Moana 2” Shatters The Thanksgiving Box Office Record With a $221 Million Extended Opening.
Gladiator II Rakes in $87 Million in Weekend Debut
Salman Ahmad is a seasoned freelance writer who contributes insightful articles to VORNews. With years of experience in journalism, he possesses a knack for crafting compelling narratives that resonate with readers. Salman’s writing style strikes a balance between depth and accessibility, allowing him to tackle complex topics while maintaining clarity.
Entertainment
“Moana 2” Shatters The Thanksgiving Box Office Record With a $221 Million Extended Opening.
(VOR News) – Every single hope a movie Moana 2 theatre owner in the country could have ever dreamed of came true. With a projected total of $424 million for the five-day Thanksgiving weekend, the overall profit has been raised over the previous high of $314.8 million, attained in 2018.
Much of this success may be attributed to Universal’s “Wicked” and Disney’s “Moana 2” achievements as well as Paramount’s “Gladiator II’s help.”
With a $221 million five-day opening, the 2016 picture “Moana 2,” which was driven by years of youngsters viewing its predecessor, available on Disney+ and streamed constantly, led the way.
The 2016 release of Moana 2 inspired me to do this.
Ranked among the top five biggest animated picture debuts, this comprises an estimated $136.8 million for the first weekend from Friday to Sunday. Sunday is the end of the weekend; Friday represents its beginning.
Furthermore, the five-day opening weekend has exceeded “The Super Mario Bros. Movie’s long-term premiere record established on Easter Weekend 2023 at $204.6 million. The film produced a record.
This start has already brought “Moana 2” $386 million globally, with non-US markets accounting for $165 million. Joining “Inside Out 2” and “Deadpool & Wolverine,” it is now quite likely to become the third Disney film to surpass $1 billion.
This is so because until three weeks from now, when Disney’s “Mufasa” and Paramount’s “Sonic the Hedgehog 3” will be shown in theatres, family viewers will not be faced with any competition.
“Wicked” is expected to bring in over $400 million domestically over this period, maybe approaching $500 million. This is so because it made an amazing $117.5 million throughout the five days of the holiday.
Following two weekends of Broadway shows, the Jon M. Chu-directed musical brought in $262 million in North America. This figure exceeded the previous record held by “Grease” for 46 years, the unmodified Broadway version.
That uncertainty about whether the great buzz around “Wicked” could match the great excitement for “Moana 2” has been allayed. Not only until December, “Wicked” should have no issue staying in theatres well into the winter given the highest audience reaction scores of any recently published wide-release film.
“Wicked” has the highest audience ratings out of Moana 2.
General people enticed by the excitement are joining the fervent musical buffs who have returned for multiple performances.
Even if “Gladiator II” is still in a far-off third place, its grossing of $44 million in just five days makes it remarkable. After two weekends of distribution, the Moana 2 Ridley Scott-directed sequel has brought $111.2 million in the US and $320 million in other countries.
In theatres among viewers seeking something more serious and not interested in animated family pictures or musicals, the sword-and-sandals epic is gathering appeal.
This is expected and happening. This shows the success of counterprogramming and the capacity of cinemas to host a large number of costly films given they contrast enough to satisfy everyone’s Moana 2 interests in terms of the films they are presenting.
Furthermore remarkable is the fact that, in spite of expectations that this would occur as the film runs from beginning to end, the audience of “Gladiator II” has not yet changed towards an older age range.
Paramount claims that fifty-two percent of the audience that showed up during Thanksgiving weekend was under thirty-five years old. This suggests that the movie had success attracting viewers too young to have seen the original “Gladiator” in theatres in 2000.
After three weekends, Amazon and MGM’s “Red One” rank fourth with a domestic total of $76 million. The film has generated $18.7 million overall in the five days since its opening. Comprising a domestic total of $32 million and a total of $4.85 million, Lionsgate’s “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” ranks fifth overall.
SOURCE: TW
SEE ALSO:
Gladiator II Rakes in $87 Million in Weekend Debut
Blizzard’s Remastered Versions Of Warcraft 1 And 2 Are Now Available On PCs.
Salman Ahmad is a seasoned freelance writer who contributes insightful articles to VORNews. With years of experience in journalism, he possesses a knack for crafting compelling narratives that resonate with readers. Salman’s writing style strikes a balance between depth and accessibility, allowing him to tackle complex topics while maintaining clarity.
Entertainment
Gladiator II Rakes in $87 Million in Weekend Debut
Despite not playing in theaters in the United States, Canada, and China until this coming Friday, Gladiator II earned $87 million over the weekend, which is the best foreign opening for a Ridley Scott film to date.
Last week, the picture premiered in 63 countries, including the UK, and grossed $11.4 million from 722 theatres. Particularly impressive was its performance in France, where it raised $10.3 million from 729 outlets.
But this one is a little weaker compared to February’s smash hit sequel, Dune: Part Two, which grossed $97 million worldwide in its opening weekend. At the same time, Deadpool & Wolverine made $233 million for Disney, while Inside Out 2 for Pixar grossed $140 million.
The Fall Guy, an action comedy starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt, earned $36.7 million in its opening weekend worldwide, while Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga earned $30 million.
Last Monday, King Charles III attended a screening of Gladiator II in London, capping off a weeks-long worldwide press tour for the film’s cast and production. A Mexican biscuit brand, Rome’s public transportation system, and a German bank VR are just a few multinational brands it has teamed up with to boost its visibility.
In Australia, dessert merchant Oliver Brown offered a special edition of pistachio-heavy puds and drinks dubbed the Emperor’s Collection. The Gladiator II salted caramel latte is available at French Coffee Shop, a business in Paris.
After poor statistics for Venom: The Last Dance and The Rock’s comedy Red One, which premiered worldwide last week, fans hope that Scott’s delayed sequel can lift the global box office for the last month and a half of the year.
Some are predicting a Barbenheimer-style struggle for the top spot in the US box office when Gladiator II and the highly anticipated musical Wicked premiere on the same day, even though double-bill events are unlikely to be very popular.
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