Digital sexual violenceWhat to do about nude photos and deepfakes online?
The case of Collien Fernandes has triggered a debate that goes far beyond the individual case. It focuses on a phenomenon that affects many people but is often underestimated: image-based sexualized violence. This refers to situations in which intimate or sexualized images are created, distributed or used as leverage without the consent of the people depicted. Fundamental rights such as sexual self-determination and the right to one's own image are disregarded. For those affected, this means a massive violation of their privacy, dignity and personal safety - sometimes with serious psychological consequences.
The development of new technologies is particularly worrying. Generative artificial intelligence now makes it easy to create deceptively real images and videos. So-called deepfakes or deepnudes show people in intimate situations that never actually existed. The entry barriers are low: a few clicks and freely available tools are often enough to create such content. For those affected, it hardly matters whether a picture is real or not - the effect is the same. Damage to reputation, social exclusion and the constant fear of further dissemination are part of everyday life for many.
This development poses a major legal and social challenge. Although the dissemination of such content is punishable in many cases, there are still legal loopholes, particularly in the case of AI-generated counterfeits. With the increasing quality and spread of AI technologies, it can be assumed that the number of cases will continue to rise in the future. This makes it all the more important to make the problem visible and to take those affected seriously.
Those affected should know: There are ways to defend yourself. First of all, it is important to secure evidence and get support, for example from advice centers or the police. Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok or Facebook also offer reporting functions. However, it can take a long time to process the reports. Prevention is just as important: if you use your privacy settings consciously and protect personal information, you can at least reduce the risks. And last but not least, no one has to be left alone in this situation, as there are numerous anonymous support services available to help and support those affected.
What can those affected do?
- Protect your profile
It is important to select the security settings in social networks so that as little private information as possible is public. The profile name should not reveal your real name, age or place of residence. Depending on the platform, you can set whether strangers can see your profile, whether they can write you messages or comment on posts. The more restrictive the settings are, the more secure they are. These settings can also be made retrospectively. Some platforms offer the option of deactivating the profile. This gives you time to think about how to proceed. You can find more information about the settings on Instagram, TikTok and other platforms on our topic pages. - Get help
You don't have to go through this situation alone. If you have someone you can confide in, you should definitely do so. If you feel that you can't talk to anyone around you, there are many anonymous support services available. In the box below, we have listed several advice centers where you can find help anonymously and free of charge - by phone, email or chat. - Fight back: Report and delete the recordings
All major platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok offer the option to report such content. However, this process can take a long time. If reporting to the platform does not work well for some reason, there is also the option of reporting the incident to a reporting office(jugendschutz.net and Internet Complaints Office). - This way you can prevent the distribution
The serviceTake It Down(aims to prevent the unwanted distribution of intimate images of minors. If you are worried about intimate images appearing online, you can have these images given a "digital fingerprint" (called a hash value) by "Take It Down". This fingerprint is passed on to all participating platforms. As a result, no one can upload this content to these platforms. More information on how to use Take it Down can be found here. The StopNCII service is available for anyone over the age of 18.
Help and advice centers
Nummer gegen Kummer: Children and youth hotline (anonymous and free of charge). Telephone number: 116 111 (Mon-Sat from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m.) and online advice by email or chat. Parents' hotline (anonymous and free of charge). Telephone number: 0800 111 0 550 (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm, Tue-Thu 9am-7pm). Website: www.nummergegenkummer.de.
Juuuport: Free advice center by young people for young people. WhatsApp advice or email at: https: //www.juuuport.de/hilfe/beratung.
HateAid: Free advice center for victims of digital violence. Phone number 030 25208838 (Mon 10 am - 1 pm | Tue 3 pm - 6 pm | Thu 4 pm - 7 pm). E-mail: beratung@hateaid.org. Website: www.hateaid.org/betroffenenberatung.
Sexual abuse helpline: Anonymous, free and multilingual help and advice. Telephone number 0800 22 55 530 (Mon, Wed, Fri 9 am - 2 pm | Tue, Thu 3 pm - 8 pm) and under Help-Portal Sexual Abuse.
Federal Association of Women's Counseling Centers and Women's Emergency Calls: www.aktiv-gegen-digitale-gewalt.de.
Further information and materials from klicksafe
Subject area: Sexualized violence through images
Whether faked or not: If intimate or sex-related images are created or distributed without permission, this is sexualized violence. In our topic area, we explain the various forms and cases of image-based sexualized violence. And what role the abusive use of artificial intelligence plays in this. We also highlight possible courses of action for those affected and their supporters.
Educational material on pornography and deepfakes
Nude photos and porn are virtually freely available to young people on the internet today. However, much of this sexualized media content can unsettle and overwhelm adolescents. The klicksafe teaching material "Let's talk about porn" provides background information for teachers and specialists as well as specific modules for lessons and extracurricular youth work. In the context of image-based sexualized violence, "Module 4: Sexualized violence and digital border violations" is particularly relevant.
So-called deepfakes or deepnudes are now increasingly being used to commit sexual violence in the digital space. Our teaching material "Deep Fake. Deep Impact." explains how this technology works and what impact it can have. The chapter "Can deepfakes be dangerous?" also deals with the topics of sexualized violence and misogyny.
Materials for young people on the topic
Sextortion, a combination of "sex" and "extortion", refers to blackmail with intimate photos or videos. Perpetrators put pressure on victims by threatening to publish these images. The aim is to demand money or - in the context of a relationship - to make other demands (e.g. for more nude photos). The flyer "F***, I'm being blackmailed with nude photos!" by klicksafe and JUUUPORT offers concrete case studies, practical tips on protection against sextortion, recommendations for those affected, legal facts and information on contact points for help and advice.
In the Youth Panel Guide, young people from the klicksafe Youth Advisory Board provide tips on the topic of online safety. The Youth Panel Guide is the result of several workshops as well as individual and group interviews in which the young people dealt with eight online risks and developed tips to help them. One of the topics covered is sexual violence on the internet.
