Award-winning actress and author Jamie Lee Curtis has publicly called out Mark Zuckerberg and Meta for their inaction regarding AI deepfake videos that exploit her likeness. These videos, which circulate widely on Facebook and Instagram, misrepresent Curtis and spread misleading information that contradicts her values. This incident highlights a growing concern in the entertainment industry about the misuse of generative AI, as artists’ images and voices are being weaponised to promote scams or ideologies that can severely tarnish their reputations.

In a recent post on her verified Instagram account, Curtis outlined her attempts to reach out to Zuckerberg directly to address the issue. She reported that her requests for the removal of the misleading deepfake videos have gone unanswered. Curtis noted that because Zuckerberg does not follow her on Instagram, she felt compelled to take her frustrations public. In her posts, she included screenshots of her communications, aiming to illustrate the severity of the situation and to urge Meta to take action. The deepfake video under contention repurposed an interview she conducted with MSNBC regarding the Los Angeles wildfires, twisting the context to falsely suggest her endorsement of a brand.

The issue of deepfakes affecting public figures is not isolated to Curtis. Other celebrities, including Taylor Swift, have encountered similar violations. Swift has publicly criticised former President Donald Trump for using her likeness without consent during his campaign, while actress Scarlett Johansson has also been a long-standing victim of deepfake technology. Such incidents underscore a broader trend where not only the arts but also the integrity of personal reputation stands at risk through the increasing prevalence of misleading AI-generated content.

In response to growing concerns about deepfakes, Facebook announced in 2019 that it would implement policies to remove AI-manipulated videos from its platform. The company described these distorted representations as a “significant challenge” in the technology realm, asserting a commitment to tackling misinformation. However, the effectiveness of these measures remains questionable. Critics note that while Facebook aims to regulate deepfakes, loopholes persist in its policies. For instance, videos created for parody or satire are not always subject to removal, raising questions about how comprehensively the platform addresses manipulated content.

This debate became particularly salient when a deepfake video depicting Zuckerberg himself was allowed to remain on Facebook. Created by artists in a bid to critique the platform’s handling of misinformation, the video portrayed Zuckerberg discussing his control over social media data. Despite the evident implications for real-world misinformation, Facebook opted to leave the video online, which has sparked significant discussions about accountability in the management of content by social media companies.

Ultimately, Curtis’s plight and those of her celebrity peers reveal a pressing dilemma in the digital age: as generative AI becomes more sophisticated, the challenge for platforms like Meta increases. Without rigorous enforcement of policies against deepfakes, the risk of further reputational damage for countless individuals escalates. Curtis’s public call for action may serve as a crucial reminder for social media giants to prioritise the integrity of personal reputations in the rapidly evolving landscape of digital misinformation.


Reference Map

  1. Article [1] informed paragraphs 1, 2, 3, and 8.
  2. Article [2] informed paragraph 5.
  3. Article [3] informed paragraph 6.
  4. Article [4] informed paragraph 6.
  5. Article [5] informed paragraph 5.
  6. Article [6] informed paragraph 6.
  7. Article [7] informed paragraph 7.

Source: Noah Wire Services