Eleanor Biggs, an investigator focused on the impact of leaked images, and Patricia Clarke, an ethics expert on online privacy, delve into the dark world of celebrity nudes leaked after a notorious hack. They discuss the relentless fight of a woman battling to remove her non-consensual images from exploitative websites. The conversation unravels the online misogyny, financial motives behind these leaks, and the troubling role of tech companies. They also highlight the psychological and emotional toll on victims while questioning urgency for effective legal protections against such abuse.
The podcast discusses the devastating impact of non-consensual intimate image abuse on victims, highlighting Leigh Nichol's painful struggle to remove her leaked images from the internet.
It explores the profit-driven motivations of website operators who exploit leaked images, demonstrating how they make substantial earnings from advertising and URL sales despite the harm inflicted on individuals.
Deep dives
The Battle Against Non-Consensual Intimate Image Abuse
Non-consensual intimate image abuse (NCII) refers to the distribution of explicit content without the consent of the individuals involved, often involving intimate photos taken by former partners and shared maliciously. This issue affects many women, leading to devastating emotional consequences, including anxiety and feelings of shame. One notable case involved a woman named Leigh Nichol, whose intimate images, leaked after being hacked, spread across various websites. Leigh's struggle illustrates the severe toll that NCII takes, as she had to dedicate extensive time and resources to remove her images from the internet.
The Challenges of Removing NCII from the Internet
Removing NCII from online platforms is fraught with challenges, primarily due to a lack of accountability from smaller, unregulated hosting websites. Many of these sites ignore takedown requests, and victims often find themselves retracing steps, filing copyright claims while facing prohibitive legal fees. As Leigh's experience demonstrates, even larger companies like Pornhub, which recently improved their procedures for handling NCII reports, still host countless other sites that operate under far less scrutiny. This reality leads victims like Leigh to engage in a frustrating cycle of attempting to get content removed, only to see it resurface elsewhere.
The Role of Big Tech and Financial Incentives
Scrutiny of website owners and operators reveals a disturbing trend of profit stemming from the exploitation of leaked images, further complicating the fight against NCII. A specific case involving website operator 'William Wallace' showcases how individuals profit off non-consensual leaks, running multiple sites that exploit stolen content for financial gain. Investigations indicate that such operators make substantial amounts through advertising revenue and URL sales, often exceeding tens of thousands of dollars annually. This enticing revenue model incentivizes bad actors to continue their operations, despite the immense harm inflicted on victims.
The Impending Threat of AI-Driven NCII
The rise of generative AI technologies poses a new and daunting challenge in the battle against non-consensual intimate imagery. As these technologies become mainstream, the potential for creating and disseminating exploitative content will increase significantly, putting many more individuals at risk. Experts warn that we are on the verge of an 'apocalyptic wave' of AI-generated revenge pornography, ushering in new levels of harm predominantly affecting women. The existing lack of robust safeguards in place to combat this technology's misuse raises urgent concerns about the future of privacy and consent in the digital age.
Ten years ago, nude images of dozens of A-list celebrities including Jennifer Lawrence and Kirsten Dunst were leaked online following an iCloud hack.
They’re still all over the internet. Lawrence’s hacker went to jail, but her intimate images can be found on dedicated sites – sites that are making a profit.
This week, Eleanor Biggs and Patricia Clarke dive headlong into the mysterious, murky world of so-called “fappening” websites. It’s a cat and mouse story of one woman's fight to get images she never wanted on the internet, taken down for good… and the nefarious actors, from website owners to big tech corporations, that she’s up against.