Taylor Swift’s Name Unsearchable on X After AI-Generated Explicit Photos Scandal
Written by Mitchell Peters on January 28, 2024
Social media users searching up Taylor Swift‘s name on X (formerly Twitter) were in for a surprise on Saturday (Jan. 27).
After typing in the 34-year-old pop superstar’s name in the search box on X, users received the following error message: “Something went wrong. Try reloading.” Swift’s official X account was still accessible at press time on Saturday afternoon.
Billboard has reached out to the social media company’s representatives for comment.
The search issue on X arrives days after sexually explicit deepfake images of Swift began circulating online. A post featuring the photos shared through X on Wednesday night (Jan. 25) was viewed 47 million times before the account was eventually suspended the following day. X went on to shut down several accounts that posted the fake images, but the images have since been shared on other social media platforms. “Protect Taylor Swift” soon began trending on X.
The White House spoke out after the scandal, calling for legislation to protect victims on online harassment. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre called the incident “alarming,” and that the negatives of AI is something that the Biden administration is focusing on.
“Of course Congress should take legislative action,” Jean-Pierre said, according to The Verge. “That’s how you deal with some of these issues.”
Jean-Pierre also said that social media companies “have an important role to play in enforcing their own rules” to prevent this type of harassment.
“We know that lax enforcement disproportionately impacts women and also girls, sadly, who are the overwhelming targets of online harassment and also abuse.”
SAG-AFTRA also released a statement on the matter, writing, “The development and dissemination of fake images — especially those of a lewd nature — without someone’s consent must be made illegal. As a society, we have it in our power to control these technologies, but we must act now before it is too late.”
The actor’s union called the images “upsetting, harmful, and deeply concerning.”
