Attitudes Towards and Knowledge of Non-Consensual Synthetic Intimate Imagery in 10 Countries

Deepfake technology tools have become ubiquitous, democratizing the ability to manipulate images and videos. One popular use of such technology is the creation of sexually explicit content, which is then often posted and shared widely on the internet. This article examines attitudes and behaviors related to non-consensual synthetic intimate imagery (NSII) across over 16,000 respondents in 10 countries. Despite nascent societal awareness of NSII, NSII was universally deemed harmful, particularly by women. 2.2\% of respondents indicated personal victimization, and 1.8\% of respondents indicated perpetration behaviors. Men reported both more victimization and perpetration. Respondents from countries with relevant legislation also reported perpetration and victimization experiences, suggesting legislative action alone is not a sufficient solution to deter perpetration. Technical considerations to reduce harms may include how individuals can better monitor their presence online, as well as enforced platform policies which ban or allow for removal of NSII content.