News
Kristen Bell Felt ‘Exploited’ After Her Face Was Used in ‘Deepfake’ Porn Video: ‘I Was Shocked’
Invasion of privacy. Kristen Bell revealed she was outraged after learning her likeness was being used in “deepfake” pornography. “I was just shocked, because this is my face. [It] belongs to me,” the mom of two, 39, said in an interview with Vox on June 8.
Deepfake pornography imposes people’s faces onto the bodies of porn stars, making it appear like they are in the film. Although these videos are typically labeled as dupes, Vox notes it’s still defamatory to those who did not consent to being “exploited” on the dark web.
The Good Place star explained Ashton Kutcher flagged the inappropriate use of the Bad Mom star’s face to her husband, Dax Shepard. “[Ashton] actually told him, ‘Oh, by the way, there are these things called ‘deepfakes’ and your wife is one of them,’” she recalled.
“Even if it’s labeled as, ‘Oh, this is not actually her,’ it’s hard to think about that,” the Gossip Girl alum continued. “I wish that the internet was a little bit more responsible and a little bit kinder.”
Thankfully, several social media platforms have banned the use of celebrity deepfakes, including Twitter, Pornhub and Reddit.
While celebrities fall victim to deepfakes regularly, Kristen felt it was “important to not ignore red flags in the world” and highlight the faults in our technological advances. “When new technologies start popping up, I think we’re screwed if we don’t acknowledge the detriment that it could bring to us.”
The Veronica Mars alum hopes by coming forward, she can inspire others who have been hurt by deepfakes to do the same. “It’s a tough issue and I had a sneaking suspicion maybe other people wouldn’t want to talk about it, and I feel a responsibility,” she shared. “I hope that we can continue conversations about this and see who it’s negatively affecting and help to change that.”
Kristen and the “Armchair Expert” podcast host often speak out for social change. The parents to daughters Lincoln, 7, and Delta, 5, are fierce advocates for a variety of causes and use their powerful platforms to spread positivity.
