What do you expect? You're part of the internet: Analyzing Celebrities' Experiences as Usees of Deepfake Technology

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Authors: John Twomey, Sarah Foley, Sarah Robinson, Michael Quayle, Matthew Peter Aylett, Conor Linehan, Gillian Murphy

Published: 2025-07-17 12:31:12+00:00

AI Summary

This paper uses Critical Discursive Psychology to analyze public statements by celebrities targeted with non-consensual synthetic intimate imagery (NSII) created using deepfake technology. The study examines how celebrities construct their experiences as "Usees" (non-consenting, unaware targets) and navigate infrastructural and social obstacles in seeking recourse. The findings highlight the role of online platforms in enabling abuse and the need for interventions that challenge the values and beliefs that motivate NSII creation.

Abstract

Deepfake technology is often used to create non-consensual synthetic intimate imagery (NSII), mainly of celebrity women. Through Critical Discursive Psychological analysis we ask; i) how celebrities construct being targeted by deepfakes and ii) how they navigate infrastructural and social obstacles when seeking recourse. In this paper, we adopt Baumers concept of Usees (stakeholders who are non-consenting, unaware and directly targeted by technology), to understand public statements made by eight celebrity women and one non-binary individual targeted with NSII. Celebrities describe harms of being non-consensually targeted by deepfakes and the distress of becoming aware of these videos. They describe various infrastructural/social factors (e.g. blaming/ silencing narratives and the industry behind deepfake abuse) which hinder activism and recourse. This work has implications in recognizing the roles of various stakeholders in the infrastructures underlying deepfake abuse and the potential of human-computer interaction to improve existing recourses for NSII. We also contribute to understanding how false beliefs online facilitate deepfake abuse. Future work should involve interventions which challenge the values and false beliefs which motivate NSII creation/dissemination.

Key findings
Celebrities framed deepfake abuse as a non-consensual manipulation of their identity and a form of non-consensual sex work. They highlighted infrastructural and social obstacles, such as blaming narratives and the lack of platform accountability, hindering their ability to seek recourse. The study revealed the significant psychological distress experienced by victims and the need for trauma-informed approaches to address deepfake abuse.
Approach
The researchers employed Critical Discursive Psychology to analyze public interviews and statements from eight celebrity women and one non-binary individual who were targets of deepfake NSII. The analysis focused on how these individuals constructed their experiences as Usees, navigating infrastructural and social obstacles in seeking recourse.
Datasets
Public interviews and statements from nine celebrities (eight women and one non-binary individual) who were targets of deepfake NSII. The data was collected from various sources including tweets, vlogs, interviews, and news articles.
Model(s)
UNKNOWN
Author countries
Ireland, South Africa, United Kingdom
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