Entertainment

Outrage Over Deepfake Images Of Taylor Swift

Published

2 years ago

January 27, 2024

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.

“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.

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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

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.

– ‘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.

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.

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.

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.

Entertainment

Family Releases Burial Arrangements For Late Actor, Alexx Ekubo

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2026

Editor

Alexx Ekubo’s family has officially announced the funeral arrangements for the late actor, describing him as a man whose life was filled with love, faith, generosity and compassion.

DAILY POST had earlier reported that the Nollywood actor passed away after suffering from kidney cancer.

The Ekubo-Okwaraeke family announced the funeral arrangements in a statement released via the actor’s social media handle.

The statement read: “Forever in Our Hearts.

“With profound sorrow, yet gratitude to God for a life so beautifully lived and deeply impactful, we officially announce the funeral arrangements of our beloved husband, son, brother, friend, and colleague, Alexx Ekubo-Okwaraeke

“The overwhelming outpouring of love, prayers, messages, visits, calls, support, and strength shown to the family during this painful period has been truly humbling. Words cannot fully express our gratitude.

“Alexx was deeply loved, and your kindness continues to remind us that his light, compassion, faith, and impact on so many lives will never be forgotten.

“Though his passing came far too soon, Alexx lived a life marked by love, warmth, generosity, laughter, and an unwavering devotion to God and the people he cherished. His presence filled rooms, lifted hearts, and created memories that will remain with us forever.

“We warmly invite family, friends, colleagues, fans, and well wishers to join us as we honor and celebrate his beautiful life, enduring legacy, and the precious memories he gave us all.

“SERVICE OF SONGS

Date: Wednesday, 10th June 2026

Venue: The Monarch Event Center, Lekki, Lagos Time: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Dress Code: White

“WAKE KEEP

Date: Wednesday, 17th June 2026

Venue: 7 Ekubo-Okwaraeke Avenue, Aziukwukwa, Ujari Village, Arochukwu, Abia State

“FUNERAL SERVICE

Date: Thursday, 18th June 2026

Venue: Mary Slessor School, Amanagwu Village, Arochukwu, Abia State

“INTERMENT

Date: Thursday, 18th June 2026

Venue: 7 Ekubo-Okwaraeke Avenue, Aziukwukwa, Ujari Village, Arochukwu, Abia State

“RECEPTION

Reception to follow immediately after the interment at Mary Slessor School, Amanagwu Village, Arochukwu, Abia State.

Dress Code: White

“Please continue to keep Alexx, his wife, and the entire family in your prayers during this difficult time.”

Entertainment

Instagram Takes Down Phyna Account Amid Fight With VeryDarkMan

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2026

Editor

Former Big Brother Naija reality show winner, Phyna, has lost her Instagram page.

Phyna’s Instagram page was suspended on Monday amid her ongoing feud with social media critic and influencer, VeryDarkMan.

DAILY POST reports that Phyna had accused VeryDarkMan of manipulating the public against her after she turned down his sexual request.

Denying the allegation, VeryDarkMan said it is normal to seek a fellow adult’s consent for sex and demanded proof.

Backing up her claim, the reality star shared her alleged chats with VeryDarkMan on her Instagram page.

A few hours after the post, Instagram suspended her account. The development sparked mixed reactions online, with many accusing her of deactivating her account.

Reacting to the incident, Phyna, in a post on X, noted that her Instagram was suspended.

“I didn’t deactivate my IG. Deactivate say wetin happen na? It got suspended,” she wrote.

Entertainment

Women Lose Interest In Relationships, Marriage Once They Begin To Cheat – Yuletide Edochie

Published

2 days ago

May 26, 2026

Editor

Nollywood actor, Yul Edochie, has claimed that infidelity on the part of a woman affects her relationship or marriage more than that of a cheating man.

Featuring in a recent episode of The Honest Bunch Podcast, the actor argued that, unlike men, women lose interest in their relationships once they begin to cheat.

He stated that men should never forgive cheating, stressing that women who cheat have already lost interest.

The actor said any man who forgives cheating is a “weak man.”

He noted that women are faithful and supportive when they are truly in love, but a lot of men choose women who don’t love them, which makes those women cheat on their men with their true loves.

Edochie said, “If you meet a woman who loves you, she will be willing to do anything for you. But the problem is that a lot of men are with women who don’t love them and are wasting their time. So, they can’t get commitment from them because those women are not into them. She is into someone else.

“I don’t want to mention names, but look at the recent controversy over the alleged illicit affair of a young man with a married woman, where the husband was complaining to his wife to save their marriage, and the wife was trying to protect the young man. That is because it is the young man that she truly loves. Do you know how much she might have spent on him?

“I tell you, once a woman begins to cheat, she has checked out emotionally and psychologically. That is why, in some of the leaked alleged voice notes of the cheating woman and her lover, they were mocking her husband. It is normal for many women that once they begin to cheat, they have checked out.

“So, there is nothing like forgiveness when it comes to cheating. If you do, you are a weak man. People don’t understand, women love deeper. Just find the one who loves you, and you will be surprised how sweet life is. You can tell once you meet the one who loves you. Don’t be a fool because of a woman. If you simp for women, you can’t get a real woman. You must set boundaries. Women don’t love weak men,” he added.