Full Breakdown
New York Seizes Dozen Websites Hosting Non-Consensual Celebrity Deepfakes
By Drooid · · How we work
Major Seizure
On Monday, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office announced the seizure of 12 domain names that were used to create, host, and sell AI-generated sexual imagery of approximately 1,200 individuals. The victims were overwhelmingly women and included actors, politicians, athletes, musicians, social-justice advocates and social-media influencers. The DA’s office said the sites were “unlawfully” sharing and selling the content and that investigations into the operators and uploaders are ongoing.
Background and Legal Framework
Deepfake pornography has proliferated since the technology emerged in 2017, with a surge in sites that “undress” photos or generate hyper-realistic videos in seconds. New York enacted the Take-It-Down Act in 2023, giving law-enforcement the authority to seize websites that host illegal explicit deepfakes. The recent action is described by officials as the largest seizure of such sites in history. Earlier this year, the first person convicted under the Take-It-Down Act received a 15-year prison sentence after authorities uncovered more than 3,000 abusive images on his devices.
Official Statements & Responses
District Attorney Alvin Bragg emphasized that the operation targets “horrific violations of privacy” and reiterated that sexual exploitation of any form will not be tolerated. He urged anyone who discovers non-consensual deepfake material to contact the Cyber Crime Bureau (212-335-9600) and assured that survivors are not alone. Bragg declined to confirm whether minors were among the depicted individuals, noting that the investigation remains active.
Data and Scope
- Websites seized: 12 domains
- Estimated victims: ~1,200 people, primarily women
- Content type: AI-generated images and videos depicting sexual conduct, often labeled “hyper-realistic”
- Legal basis: New York’s 2023 Take-It-Down Act and existing statutes criminalizing non-consensual explicit deepfakes
Verbatim Quotes
- “We do not tolerate sexual exploitation in any form, including sharing and selling deepfake pornography,” — Alvin Bragg, district attorney
- “What you are doing is a crime. We are investigating, and we support survivors in taking down this content,” — Alvin Bragg, district attorney
- “We would not be here if it wasn't for the courage of a survivor who came forward, reported to us that images of her were on the website, and that led to the seizure,” — Alvin Bragg, district attorney
- “I think there are a lot of people out there, suffering in silence. There are a lot of people. And we've been in touch with survivors,” — Alvin Bragg, district attorney
- “While the victims of these sites are largely celebrities, we know that anyone can be a victim in these crimes, particularly in domestic violence cases, many of our intimate violence cases involve threats to at least images and videos, and we know that deepfakes are being used in the same way,” — District Attorney Alvin Bragg
- “Our message to the people who are creating and publishing this content: What you are doing is a crime. We are investigating, and support survivors in taking down this content and seeking accountability for folks who break the law,” — Alvin Bragg, district attorney