Connect with us

Entertainment

Outrage Over Deepfake Images Of Taylor Swift

Published

on

Fans of Taylor Swift and politicians, including the White House, expressed outrage on Friday at AI-generated fake porn images of the megastar that went viral on X and were still available on other platforms.

One image of the US megastar was seen 47 million times on X, the former Twitter, before it was removed Thursday. According to US media, the post was live on the platform for around 17 hours.

“It is alarming,” said White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, when asked about the images.

Advertisement

“Sadly we know that lack of enforcement (by the tech platforms)disproportionately impacts women and they also impact girls who are the overwhelming targets of online harassment,” Jean-Pierre added.

Deepfake porn images of celebrities are not new but activists and regulators are worried that easy-to-use tools employing generative artificial intelligence (AI) will create an uncontrollable flood of toxic or harmful content.

READ ALSO: Trump Vows To Launch Largest Deportation In History If Re-elected

Advertisement

Non-celebrities are also victims with increasing reports of young women and teens being harassed on social media with sexually explicit deepfakes that are more and more realistic and easy to manufacture.

The targeting of Swift, the second most listened-to artist in the world on Spotify (narrowly after Canadian rapper Drake), could shine a new light on the phenomenon with her legions of fans outraged at the development.

Last year Swift used her fame to urge her 280 million Instagram followers to vote.

Advertisement

Her fans also pushed US Congress to hold hearings about Ticketmaster when the company bungled the sale of their hero’s concert tickets in late 2022.

“The only ‘silver lining’ about it happening to Taylor Swift is that she likely has enough power to get legislation passed to eliminate it. You people are sick,” wrote influencer Danisha Carter on X.

X is one of the biggest platforms for porn content in the world, analysts say, as its policies on nudity are looser than Meta-owned platforms Facebook or Instagram.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Kizz Daniel, Davido Unveil Remix Of Daniel’s Hit Single ‘Twe Twe’

This has been tolerated by Apple and Google, the gatekeepers for online content through the guidelines they set for their app stores on iPhones and Android smartphones.

In a statement, X said that “posting Non-Consensual Nudity (NCN) images is strictly prohibited on X and we have a zero-tolerance policy towards such content.”

Advertisement

The Elon Musk-owned platform said that it was “actively removing all identified images and taking appropriate actions against the accounts responsible for posting them.”

It was also “closely monitoring the situation to ensure that any further violations are immediately addressed, and the content is removed.”

The images however continued to be available and shared on Telegram.

Advertisement

Swift’s representatives did not respond to a request for comment.

READ ALSO: BBNaija’s Venita Clarifies Relationship With Mercy Eke

The star has also been the subject of rightwing conspiracy theories and even fake videos where she is falsely shown to be promoting high-priced cookware from France.

Advertisement

– ‘Easier and cheaper’ –

What’s happened to Taylor Swift is nothing new. For years, women have been targets of deepfakes without their consent,” said Yvette Clarke, a Democratic congresswoman from New York who has backed legislation to fight deepfake porn.

“And with advancements in AI, creating deepfakes is easier & cheaper,” she added.

Advertisement

Tom Kean, a Republican congressman, warned that “AI technology is advancing faster than the necessary guardrails. Whether the victim is Taylor Swift or any young person across our country, we need to establish safeguards to combat this alarming trend.”

Legally mandated controls would need the passing of federal laws, which remains a longshot in a deeply divided US Congress.

READ ALSO: Prophet Drowned During Baptism, Torn To Pieces By Crocodile

Advertisement

US law currently affords tech platforms very broad protection from liability for content posted on their sites and content moderation is voluntary or implicitly imposed by advertisers or the app stores.

Many well-publicized cases of deepfake audio and video have targeted politicians or celebrities, with women by far the biggest targets through graphic, sexually explicit images found easily on the internet.

Software to create the images is widely available on the web.

Advertisement

According to research cited by Wired magazine, 113,000 deepfake videos were uploaded to the most popular porn websites in the first nine months of 2023.

And research in 2019 from a startup found that 96 percent of deepfake videos on the internet were pornographic.

Advertisement
Advertisement
Comments

Entertainment

Facebook, Instagram Suspend Idris Abdulkareem’s Accounts After New Song, Open Letter To Donald Trump

Published

on

Nigerian rapper and activist Eedris Abdulkareem has announced that his Facebook and Instagram accounts were suspended shortly after the release of his new song, Open Letter to Donald Trump.

Abdulkareem, in a report by online news platform, SaharaReporters, on Sunday said that he has been unable to access either account since the release of the track.

“Facebook just suspended my Facebook and Instagram account because of my new song, Open Letter to Donald Trump,” he said. “I can’t access it.”

Advertisement

Checks confirmed that both accounts are no longer accessible.

Abdulkareem, known for politically charged music and criticism of government policies, did not provide further details on the duration of the suspension imposed by Meta, Facebook’s parent company.

READ ALSO:Police Neutralize Two Wanted Bandit Leaders In Abuja, Foil Kidnap Attempt

Advertisement

Released in November 2025 under his label, Lakreem Entertainment, Open Letter to Donald Trump is framed as a direct address to the former U.S. President but primarily targets Nigeria’s political class.

In the song, Abdulkareem accuses Nigerian leaders of enriching themselves while ordinary citizens endure hardship, describing them as “criminals of all shades and hues” who dominate society. The track references worsening insecurity, including kidnappings, killings, and terrorism, and seeks to draw international attention to Nigeria’s crises.

The song continues Abdulkareem’s tradition of protest music, following his 2004 hit Jaga Jaga and the more recent 2025 release Tell Your Papa, which was banned by the National Broadcasting Commission for allegedly containing “objectionable lyrics” in violation of responsible broadcasting rules. The ban prohibited Nigerian radio and television stations from airing the track.

Advertisement

Abdulkareem has consistently used his music to challenge political leaders and highlight social injustice, cementing his reputation as one of Nigeria’s most outspoken protest musicians.

READ ALSO:

Recall that in 2020, Abdulkareem accused Grammy-winning singer, Burna Boy, of appropriating the works of Afrobeat pioneer Fela Anikulapo Kuti to advance his career.

Advertisement

Abdulkareem made the remarks in a video interview, responding to a now-deleted tweet by Burna Boy in which he claimed that no one had paved the way for him as an artist.

Abdulkareem argued that Burna Boy’s success relied heavily on Fela’s musical legacy and called on the “Anybody” singer to apologise.

He said that while Fela’s songs carried meaningful messages that enriched the lives of listeners, Burna Boy had borrowed extensively from both Fela and Afrobeat without giving due recognition.

Advertisement

“I think with due respect, Burna Boy needs to apologise. At least Fela made it happen for you, and you stole a lot from Fela’s songs to become who you are. You stole from Afrobeats to become who you are. Even though Fela’s songs are strictly about messages that add value to the lives of people, what is your song about?” Abdulkareem said.

Continue Reading

Entertainment

Organizers Cancel Burna Boy’s US Shows After Fans Refused To Buy Tickets

Published

on

The singer ‘No Sign of Weakness’ US tours including tonight’s performance scheduled for November 28, 2025, at The Armory in Minneapolis was abruptly cancelled after fans failed to buy tickets.

Ticketmaster announced the last minute cancellation on its website on Thursday.

Today’s show was cancelled with another concert scheduled for December 1, 2025, in Chicago.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:Burna Boy Reveals Fighting Secret Battles

While the tour failed to provide a specific reason for the cancellation, the development came amid the public criticism directed at
Burna Boy after he walked out a couple for sleeping during his performance at Colorado.

The viral video of the incident sparked controversy, which intensified after the singer, while reacting to his critics during an Instagram live session, said “he only wants supporters who buy his tickets and not fans”.

Advertisement

It was later reported that the woman who slept during his performance was grieving a recent personal loss.

Confirming the cancellation, Burna Boy in a post on his Instagram story on Friday morning shared a direct link from the ticketing website, showing that the two concerts were cancelled.

 

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Entertainment

My Father Regretted Funding My Education After I Became Skit Maker – Sabinus

Published

on

Nigerian comedian, Emmanuel Ejekwu, popularly known as Sabinus, has revealed that his father didn’t initially support his decision to become a comedian.

In a candid interview with VJ Adams, Sabinus explained that his dad wanted him to be a lawyer but he eventually settled for Linguistics and Communication Studies after failing to secure a law admission.

He recalled that it was while studying at the University of Port Harcourt that he discovered his comedy talent and start making skits.

Advertisement

The comedian said when his dad found out that he was a skit maker, he regretted funding his education and described the profession as “stupid business.”

READ ALSO:Why I Don’t Promote Nudity With My Skits – Sabinus

Sabinus said, “At first, my dad never wanted me to be what I am today, he wanted me to be a lawyer. I tried my best but I couldn’t secure a law admission. So, I had to settle for Linguistics and Communication Studies at Uniport.

Advertisement

“It was on the campus that I saw skit making and I decided to try it out. Money wasn’t coming.

“After I graduated, my dad never knew I was a comedian because I was hiding it. It was one more year after school that he started seeing me on comedy show posters. My sisters confirmed to him that I was into comedy. He was very furious. He fumed, ‘Which comedy? Stupid business. Look at the boy I sent to become a lawyer.’”

The comedian added that his dad eventually gave him his blessings after he started gifting him money from his proceeds from comedy.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending