Latest news with #TheNewAgeofSexism:HowtheAIRevolutionisReinventingMisogyny
Daily Record
3 days ago
- Daily Record
The rise of deep-fake porn in schools is a 'public health crisis', says expert
Misogyny expert Laura Bates has deemed sexual violence in schools a 'national emergency', particularly due to the accessibility of deep-fake porn websites. So how can we protect young girls? Misogyny is rife in Britain's schools, and with the latest technology, it can manifest in vulgar ways that are extremely damaging to young girls. But expert Laura Bates, whose latest book delves into the dangers of AI and sexism, has issued a call-to-action against sexual violence in schools, which she has deemed a 'national emergency'. The founder of the Everyday Sexism Project and author of several books on modern misogyny, Laura Bates recently delved into the concerning ways that the newest AI technology is harming young women, particularly at school. She sat down with BBC journalist Samira Ahmed to discuss her latest book, The New Age of Sexism: How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny, at Hay Festival in Wales last week. She described sexism in schools as a 'public health crisis', warning of the ways in which deep-fake porn is the newest misogynistic threat to schoolgirls in the UK. Bates said: 'We have a crisis in schools. It is a national emergency." In her newest book, she explains how hundreds of free websites allow anyone to create false images of their peers, or anyone for that matter, completely naked, using only a single image of someone's face- which is easily accessible on most young peoples' social media profiles. These easily accessible, and often completely free AI-powered websites have the ability to seriously harm young girls, if schoolmates were to decide to create one of these explicit images and share it. And this AI-generated form of sexual abuse is already occurring in our schools, as well as throughout Europe, reports the Independent. Bates' research involved a 2023 case in the Spanish town of Almendralejo, where several girls aged between 11 and 17 found that AI-generated images of them naked had been circulating on social media, which had lasting and extremely damaging effects on them. The expert said at Hay Festival: 'In the years since [this incident], we've seen a significant number of these cases cropping up across schools in the UK. 'It is the next big sexual violence issue that is going to impact schools. It's just that we're not really talking about it yet.' What's most worrying about this new AI-powered threat to young girls is that there isn't much that can be done to prevent it from occurring, as pictures of our faces are widely available across social media. While it's possible to turn you or your children's accounts to private, this will not stop trusted classmates or friends from accessing their peers' pictures, which can be made falsely explicit at the touch of a button. Profile pictures are also widely viewable, even if an account is set to private. So, how can we protect young girls from being targeted by this high-tech manifestation of misogyny? Bates argues in her book that the issue lies within wider society, and policy makers and educators have a responsibility to tackle this problem from the root. She said: "This is a crisis; it is a public health crisis and it needs a public health programme. There has to be statutory guidance to give schools the powers to act on that, and yet it's something that we're not talking about." Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Scottish Sun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Inside the rise of AI brothels where men order ‘women' covered in blood then ‘abuse' them & share with other fantasists
The cyber brothel's owner insisted there's no judgement over anything you want to do with their AI sex dolls DISTURBING TREND Inside the rise of AI brothels where men order 'women' covered in blood then 'abuse' them & share with other fantasists IT'S a city famous for its landmarks and culture. But beneath Berlin's vibrant exterior is a disturbing underworld of cyber adult entertainment. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 5 The Cybrothel in Berlin means men can have their every sex wish granted - even the most depraved Credit: Cybrothel 5 They can even order a sex robot "covered in blood" if they want to Credit: Cybrothel 5 The rapidly increasing popularity of Cybrothel is indicative of just how much AI is changing the sex industry Credit: Cybrothel The German capital is the first place in the world to open an AI brothel, which allows people to book an hour with artificially advanced "sex dolls" ready to grant their every wish - however depraved that may be. Writer Laura Bates experienced Cybrothel first hand when she visited for her new book The New Age of Sexism: How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny. And in an interview on the Should I Delete That? podcast, Laura explained she made a custom request of the brothel - for her robot doll to have her clothes slashed and torn, just to "see if they did it" - and found they were happy to, with "no questions asked". You can even order a doll "covered in blood", Laura said. "I genuinely think it's the most f**ked up thing I've ever heard in my life," podcast host Em Clarkson said. But Cybrothel co-owner Matthias Smetana insisted of the sessions available there: "If you are here, the only person who can judge you is yourself." 'We have a lot of people who have never been in touch with sex work, who are really down to try it but are looking for a safe space," he told "If you face performance anxiety, this doesn't go in Cybrothel as you are dealing with sex toys, not humans." And it's not just in a cyber brothel in Berlin that people are able to "enjoy" the perks of an AI sex robot - advancing technology means you can have one in your pocket too. "What no one is talking about is that you can download a version of this," Laura said. World's First Cyber Brothel "So the same exact thing that lives in your pocket and it's called an AI girlfriend or an AI chatbot, and you can create her again to look exactly how you want her to look. "You can customise everything. You get to pick her name. She will be there moving on the screen." The avatar can even be made to look so realistic that it feels like you're FaceTiming her. "If you're a teenage boy, you can have her. You can have as many as you like," Laura said. "You can access them for free." The fact that the "women" are AI also means that men can "abuse them" without any fear of the consequences. Are brothel's legal in the UK? There has been a growing debate in the UK about whether brothels should be legalised, following the emergence of pop-up brothels across the country. These temporary establishments, often set up in residential areas, have sparked concerns among local communities and law enforcement agencies. The current legal framework in the UK criminalises the operation of brothels, but individual sex work is permitted. This has led to a complex and often problematic situation for those involved in the industry. Advocates for legalising brothels argue that regulation could improve safety and working conditions for sex workers. By bringing the industry out of the shadows, they believe that sex workers would have better access to health services and legal protection, reducing the risks of exploitation and violence. Furthermore, regulated brothels could be subject to health and safety standards, ensuring a safer environment for both workers and clients. On the other hand, opponents of legalisation worry that it could lead to an increase in human trafficking and exploitation. They argue that normalising the sex industry might encourage more people to become involved in it, both as workers and clients. Additionally, there are concerns about the impact on local communities, with fears that legalised brothels could lead to an increase in crime and antisocial behaviour in residential areas. As the debate continues, it is clear that there are no easy answers. Balancing the rights and safety of sex workers with the concerns of local communities and broader societal impacts remains a complex challenge. Policymakers will need to carefully consider the potential benefits and drawbacks of legalising brothels in the UK, taking into account the experiences of other countries that have taken similar steps. "Many, many men abuse them and then share the screenshots of abusing them with each other online to see who can do the most awful and depraved thing to them," Laura said. In fact, the 2024 list of the most downloaded chatbot AI apps on the Google Android Play Store showed that the top 11 apps have a combined 100 million downloads. "This is huge. This is a bigger problem. And again, it's something that no one is talking about," Laura concluded. 5 Cybrothel is the first of its kind in the world, but it looks as though more and more AI brothels could be following in its footsteps Credit: Cybrothel
The Irish Sun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Inside the rise of AI brothels where men order ‘women' covered in blood then ‘abuse' them & share with other fantasists
IT'S a city famous for its landmarks and culture. But beneath Berlin's vibrant exterior is a disturbing underworld of cyber adult entertainment. Advertisement 5 The Cybrothel in Berlin means men can have their every sex wish granted - even the most depraved Credit: Cybrothel 5 They can even order a sex robot "covered in blood" if they want to Credit: Cybrothel 5 The rapidly increasing popularity of Cybrothel is indicative of just how much AI is changing the sex industry Credit: Cybrothel The German capital is the first place in the world to open an AI brothel, which allows people to book an hour with artificially advanced "sex dolls" ready to grant their every wish - however depraved that may be. Writer Laura Bates experienced Cybrothel first hand when she visited for her new book The New Age of Sexism: How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny. And in an interview on the You can even order a doll "covered in blood", Laura said. Advertisement Read more Brothel stories "I genuinely think it's the most f**ked up thing I've ever heard in my life," podcast host Em Clarkson said. But Cybrothel co-owner Matthias Smetana insisted of the sessions available there: "If you are here, the only person who can judge you is yourself." 'We have a lot of people who have never been in touch with sex work, who are really down to try it but are looking for a safe space," he told "If you face performance anxiety, this doesn't go in Cybrothel as you are dealing with sex toys, not humans." Advertisement Most read in Fabulous And it's not just in a cyber brothel in Berlin that people are able to "enjoy" the perks of an AI sex robot - advancing technology means you can have one in your pocket too. "What no one is talking about is that you can download a version of this," Laura said. World's First Cyber Brothel "So the same exact thing that lives in your pocket and it's called an AI girlfriend or an AI chatbot, and you can create her again to look exactly how you want her to look. "You can customise everything. You get to pick her name. She will be there moving on the screen." Advertisement The avatar can even be made to look so realistic that it feels like you're FaceTiming her. "If you're a teenage boy, you can have her. You can have as many as you like," Laura said. "You can access them for free." The fact that the "women" are AI also means that men can "abuse them" without any fear of the consequences. Advertisement Are brothel's legal in the UK? There has been a growing debate in the UK about whether brothels should be legalised, following the emergence of pop-up brothels across the country. These temporary establishments, often set up in residential areas, have sparked concerns among local communities and law enforcement agencies. The current legal framework in the UK criminalises the operation of brothels, but individual sex work is permitted. This has led to a complex and often problematic situation for those involved in the industry. Advocates for legalising brothels argue that regulation could improve safety and working conditions for sex workers. By bringing the industry out of the shadows, they believe that sex workers would have better access to health services and legal protection, reducing the risks of exploitation and violence. Furthermore, regulated brothels could be subject to health and safety standards, ensuring a safer environment for both workers and clients. On the other hand, opponents of legalisation worry that it could lead to an increase in human trafficking and exploitation. They argue that normalising the sex industry might encourage more people to become involved in it, both as workers and clients. Additionally, there are concerns about the impact on local communities, with fears that legalised brothels could lead to an increase in crime and antisocial behaviour in residential areas. As the debate continues, it is clear that there are no easy answers. Balancing the rights and safety of sex workers with the concerns of local communities and broader societal impacts remains a complex challenge. Policymakers will need to carefully consider the potential benefits and drawbacks of legalising brothels in the UK, taking into account the experiences of other countries that have taken similar steps. "Many, many men abuse them and then share the screenshots of abusing them with each other online to see who can do the most awful and depraved thing to them," Laura said. In fact, the 2024 list of the most downloaded chatbot AI apps on the Google Android Play Store showed that the top 11 apps have a combined 100 million downloads. "This is huge. This is a bigger problem. And again, it's something that no one is talking about," Laura concluded. 5 Cybrothel is the first of its kind in the world, but it looks as though more and more AI brothels could be following in its footsteps Credit: Cybrothel Advertisement 5 Thanks to apps, men can even have an entire relationship with an AI girlfriend through their phone - although many use it to "abuse" the robots and share with others Credit: Alamy
