Human rights activist Laura Harth brought to light an illegal Chinese police station in New York, sparking online attacks. She faced bizarre and sexualized slurs, such as false rumors about an affair with politician Tim Walz. This harassment escalated with AI-enhanced deepfake pornography featuring her image.
Su Yutong, another activist, experiences similar harassment. For fifteen years, she’s been targeted with false accusations and manipulated images. Deepfake porn of her circulates almost daily, she shared in a Newsweek interview.
Deepfakes as Part of a Broader Campaign
Women confronting the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) often fall victim to coordinated online sexual harassment. These campaigns are vast and linked to state actors. Technology firms like Meta and OpenAI have noted this trend.
Some victims are taking action by publicizing these attacks. Harth recently shared the images publicly on her employer’s website, Safeguard Defenders. She emphasized that the disgrace lies with the perpetrators, not herself.
“I don’t identify with these images at all, and I hope that is a taboo we can break. Because that’s not you. That’s an image of the CCP,” she told Newsweek.
Global Harassment Network
Newsweek interviewed four politically active women in Canada, the UK, Germany, and Italy. All believe the harassment originates from China. The attacks correlate with their political activities or significant Chinese political events.
These attacks are enacted using accounts that frequently resurface on platforms like X, Facebook, and Instagram despite removals. According to tech companies, these are part of long-standing campaigns linked to Chinese law enforcement.
Sex Kompromat Tactics
Nathalie Vogel, an intelligence expert, explained this tactic as “sex kompromat.” It’s a strategy to entrap and discredit, historically used by agencies like the Stasi but now revolutionized by AI.
Chinese dissident Zang Xihong, also a target, found fake images circulated during a democracy event she attended. She pointed out how these tactics don’t typically affect men due to differing societal impacts of such harassment.
Legal and Social Challenges
Zang criticized Canadian authorities for inadequate support. Recent legislation in the U.S. now addresses AI-generated obscene material, following efforts led by Melania Trump.
In Italy, the government has also enacted laws against AI deepfakes. Canadian authorities, however, have yet to provide effective help, Zang noted.
Targeting women with such tactics is not new and contributes to the scarcity of female Chinese dissidents, Zang explained.
The Broader Impact
Su Yutong, sharing her experiences, noted the long-standing campaign against her uses advances in technology to exacerbate the impact of sexual shame as a method of control.
She faces the physical consequences of this harassment daily, including invasions of privacy and threats to her family’s safety.
Taking Control of the Narrative
Some women opt not to disclose their experiences publicly. Carmen Lau, a democracy activist, remains undecided about how to handle the harassment she faced, including false sexualized imagery spread to her neighbors.
Laura Harth, with fewer personal ties to China, feels more able to go public. She recognizes her privileged position and feels a responsibility to address these issues openly.