In the wild world of the internet, Taylor Swift‘s name took a brief hiatus from the search bar on X, leaving fans a blank space over the weekend. The reason? An unexpected invasion of AI-generated explicit images, causing a stir on social media.
The deep fake explicit images of the singer flooded the internet last week. The images depicted Swift in various sexualized positions while wearing the Kansas City Chiefs jersey. The singer’s connection to the football team referenced her relationship with Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce.
Related: Taylor Swift No Longer Searchable On X Following AI-Generated Explicit Images Scandal
White House’s Take On The Swift Storm
Swifties didn’t stay silent. Faced with the onslaught of explicit content, Swift’s fans rallied, flooding the platform with positivity. The Daily Dot reported that fake images of Swift in a Kansas City Chiefs context were viewed over 22 million times before action was taken.
The situation escalated to the point where the White House had to chime in. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre expressed concern, saying, “We are alarmed by the reports… While social media companies make their own decisions, we believe they have an important role to play in enforcing their own rules.”
New York Congressman Joe Morelle and Virginia Senator Mark Warner joined the conversation in the halls of Congress. Morelle proposed a bill criminalizing the nonconsensual sharing of digitally altered explicit images. Warner called it “a deplorable situation” and pledged to push AI companies to halt the circulation of such content.
In case you missed: “You’re Ruining Football”: Taylor Swift Gives A Swift Response To Ravens Fans Criticizing Her At Travis Kelce’s Game
Taylor Swift’s Silence On The X Controversy
Throughout the storm, Taylor Swift and her team remained publicly silent. However, reports suggest that legal action might be in the cards given the seriousness of the matter.
Amid all the drama, SAG-AFTRA, a union Swift is a member of, also issued a statement, condemning the images as “upsetting, harmful, and deeply concerning.” The union called for legislative action to make the dissemination of fake explicit images illegal.
X, in response to the chaos, stated, “Search has been re-enabled, and we will continue to be vigilant for any attempt to spread this content and will remove it if we find it.”
As the digital tempest surrounding Taylor Swift’s AI nudes begins to settle, Congress is gearing up for a battle against the invasion of privacy in the virtual world.
You might also like to read: