Miss Korea Pageant Sparks Outrage Over Deepfake-Related Question

In the midst of growing global concerns about sexual violence involving deepfake technology, the 68th Miss Korea pageant is under fire for trivializing the issue during a contestant Q&A segment. The controversial question, which made light of deepfakes, has been condemned by both activists and the public for exploiting a serious crime in a beauty competition that predominantly focuses on women’s physical appearance.

The question in question, asked during the pageant’s final round, was, “If a deepfake video version of me is more attractive, how can I bridge the gap between that and the real me?” The moment quickly went viral on social media, sparking heated debates over the insensitivity of bringing up deepfake-related issues in such a setting.

Source: https://english.hani.co.kr/arti/english_edition/e_national/1160086.html

Deepfakes, a combination of “deep learning” and “fake,” refer to AI-generated synthetic images or videos using some ready made undress ai apps. Although the technology has various applications in media and entertainment, it has unfortunately gained notoriety for its misuse in creating non-consensual, sexually explicit content. A report by Sensity, a Dutch visual threat intelligence firm, found that in 2019, 96% of the 14,000 deepfake videos analyzed were sexual in nature, overwhelmingly targeting women.

Kim Hye-jung, director of the Korea Sexual Violence Relief Center, strongly criticized the pageant for trivializing the issue, stating, “This question comes dangerously close to being a form of assault. It is shocking to see a crime like deepfake sex offenses being reduced to a talking point in a competition that judges women based on their appearance.”

Public backlash was swift, with social media users accusing the pageant of minimizing the pain of deepfake victims. Some called for an end to beauty pageants altogether, labeling them as outdated events that commodify women’s bodies and perpetuate sexist standards of beauty. Comments flooded the pageant’s social media, with users writing, “Pageants that trivialize sexual violence have no place in society,” and “The question itself is a form of harassment.”

In response to the criticism, Global E&B, the organizer of Miss Korea, issued a statement explaining the intent behind the question: “We asked the question to gauge participants’ views on AI’s role in industries such as film and advertising. However, we acknowledge the need to be more sensitive to the current societal context, especially with deepfakes being widely misused for sexually explicit content. We sincerely apologize to those who were offended.”

While the pageant has not issued any further statements, the controversy reignites discussions about the relevance of beauty competitions in today’s world, particularly in their treatment of women’s bodies and their disregard for serious social issues.

As debates continue, the incident underscores the need for increased awareness and sensitivity around the dangers of deepfakes and their impact on women. With the rising prevalence of deepfake-related crimes, experts are calling for stronger measures to protect victims and more responsible handling of such topics in the media and entertainment industries.