Pornography

Chronicle

2024

Digital pimps have appeared on the Internet. They manage the accounts of girls who undress on camera for money

In October 2024, it became known that a new phenomenon called digital pimping is gaining momentum in the Internet space. According to the Europol investigation, this practice involves managing the accounts of girls publishing explicit materials on platforms like OnlyFans in order to generate part of the income. During an international operation conducted in 2023, experts faced a number of new schemes for the exploitation of women on the Internet.

According to Izvestia, the Europol investigation was supported by police in Germany and the Netherlands. Experts have found that cybercriminals are hiding groups that teach men how to manipulate webcam model accounts. According to law enforcement agencies, such schemes imply control over the income of girls who can be forced to engage in fraud, using psychological pressure and financial dependence.

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As part of the operation, according to Europol employees, 16 suspects and 60 potential victims were found who were involved in digital pimping. At the same time cyber security , Gazinformservice Dmitry Ovchinnikov, head of the Laboratory for Strategic Product Development of the Analytical Center, noted that attackers use platforms like OnlyFans to make a profit without creating real studios or complex payment schemes. According to him, it is enough only to register several accounts and "promote" models, and then take a share from their earnings.

Moscow Konstantin Kudryashov, a lawyer and member of the Bar Association of the city, noted that the so-called digital pimping is most often a voluntary union, since nothing prevents the model from independently registering an account on the corresponding service and receiving funds from subscribers without intermediaries.

A priest from the Moscow region was sentenced to 3 years in prison for exchanging pornographic photos on WhatsApp

On July 18, 2024, it became known that the Zyuzinsky court of Moscow sentenced Archpriest Dmitry Kuvyrtalov, rector of the Church of the Archangel Michael in Letov, to three years in prison. The priest is accused of exchanging pornographic materials in the WhatsApp messenger. Read more here.

Spain introduces digital passports to view porn

In early July 2024, it became known that the Spanish authorities introduced special digital "passports" for watching porn. Each time you try to visit sites with materials for adults, citizens of the country will have to confirm their age. Read more here.

2023

Child psychiatrist in the United States received 40 years in prison for creating pornographic deepfakes

On November 8, 2023, the US Department of Justice announced that Charlotte (North Carolina) child psychiatrist David Tatum was sentenced to 40 years in prison for the production, possession and transfer of materials related to child sexual abuse. The criminal, in particular, is charged with creating pornographic deepfakes - images generated using artificial intelligence. Read more here.

Paedophiles using AI to create children's photos of stars and make up stories with them

Paedophiles are actively using generative artificial intelligence systems to "rejuvenate" celebrities in photos and create their child's sexual images. In addition, thousands of AI images showing child abuse were found on the Internet. This is stated in the report of the non-governmental British organization Internet Watch Foundation (IWF), published on October 25, 2023.

It is reported that during September 2023 alone, approximately 3 thousand images created through AI algorithms and depicting sexual abuse of children were published on a dark web forum. Moreover, about every fifth such image (564 pieces) is recognized as unacceptable as possible: we are talking about rape, sexual torture and bestiality. 1372 of the identified images show children of primary school age (from 7 to 10 years old), in 143 pictures - children aged three to six years, and in two images - babies under two years old.

Pedophiles actively use generative AI systems

Attackers generate images of stars in childhood and come up with various stories with them. AI tools are also used to create images of children naked based on photos that have been uploaded to the internet for legal purposes. Pictures of children are used to teach AI models in order to subsequently form deepfakes.

The IWF notes that some AI models work so efficiently that it is difficult for even experienced specialists to distinguish generated images from real photos. In the future, such tools will be improved, which will create additional difficulties for law enforcement agencies involved in identifying pedophiles. The IWF fears that a flood of realistic AI materials will lead to analysts wasting time studying deepfakes instead of looking for real criminals.^[1]

2020: The emergence of Telegram bots that create fake "porn photos" based on DeepNude for blackmail

At the end of October 2020, a system of deepfake bots was discovered in Telegram, which, upon request, generate fake "porn photos." Users substitute the faces of familiar women taken from images from social networks for such pictures, and then send them out in public channels and chats or use them for blackmail. Read more here.

2019: US begins to jail for distributing porn with face-changers

In early July 2019, Virginia passed a law prohibiting the distribution of pornography with the substitution of persons. This is the first state in the United States to have such an initiative. Read more here.

2017: Replacing the face of a porn actress with the face of a Hollywood movie star

In December 2017, a porn video allegedly appeared on the Internet with the participation of the famous actress Gal Gadot. However, in reality, the video showed the body of a porn actress, whose face was replaced with the face of a Hollywood movie star using artificial intelligence. Read more here.