Nudify sites have quickly become a thorn in the side of families and educators all across the United States. In fact, in the first half of 2023, these sites collectively attracted over 200 million visits. This increase raised red flags everywhere, as advocates fear this increase may be affecting youth safety and mental health. At least the San Francisco City Attorney’s office is doing something about it. Specifically, they’re suing 16 nudify websites for violating laws concerning child exploitation and nonconsensual images. This piece of litigation would be a crucial step in holding these platforms accountable for the systemic and widespread harm they inflict.
Through a variety of tactics, nudify websites have artfully dodged current new state laws. This has led many states, including Minnesota, to consider passing new legislation to protect the public. We thank the U.S. Senate for their strong and decisive action to address this emerging crisis. They sent to the governor’s desk, unanimously, a bill criminalizing the creation—and the threat of creation—of nonconsensual AI deepfake porn.
Josh Ochs, founder of SmartSocial, drove home the severity of the issue. He cautioned that nudify sites are causing “unthinkable harm” to teens nationwide. He explained how easily accessible technology can lead to devastating consequences: “Kids these days will upload maybe a headshot of another kid at school and the app will recreate the body of the person as though they’re nude.”
One district that’s taking this challenge seriously is the Palo Alto Unified School District. They’re training parents, teachers, and students in how to avoid the risks that these sites present. On the new state requirements, Superintendent Don Austin voiced the seriousness of the circumstances. He said, “We’re in a situation now that you can be doing absolutely nothing, and you get a story or a picture posted online.”
Nudify sites just continue to pop up all over the place. It’s more like a game of Whac-A-Mole, as we’ll show, with new sites going up as fast as they’re removed. This ongoing battle requires constant vigilance. As Ochs pointed out, “They’ve weaponized tech — and nobody’s immune from the outrage.”
In response to these trends, SmartSocial is doing our part to increase awareness around nudify websites and their dangers to our youth. They’re teaching families about keeping safe online and reinforcing the idea that there should be continuous conversations about how to use technology appropriately. Ochs advises parents to approach conversations about digital safety early and often: “Before you give your kids a phone or social media, it’s time to have that discussion early and often. Writing in the ARL Pen and Hand-stamped Note Card Just keep in mind, I can always reclaim it in the future if you need to defend our family.
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