NY SHUTS DOWN 12 DEEPFAKE CELEBRITY SITES

The seizure represents a significant enforcement effort against the deepfake industry, which has grown alongside advances in AI-generated media. The seized websites operated by creating and distributing synthetic nude images and videos of celebrities without consent. Deepfake technology uses machine learning to superimpose faces onto existing video or image content, often for sexual material. The practice has faced increasing legal scrutiny as the technology becomes more accessible and realistic. The Manhattan District Attorney's Office coordinated the operation to dismantle platforms that profited from non-consensual intimate imagery. The action highlights growing efforts by law enforcement to hold deepfake operators accountable. Several states and countries have enacted or proposed legislation targeting non-consensual deepfakes. The legal action in New York follows similar enforcement actions in other jurisdictions seeking to combat the practice.