What NSFW AI Has to Do with Our Legal Landscape
The dark net of intricate and seemingly whimsical AI-generated NSFW content has remained a controversial figure within the United Sates and beyond, concerning blatant implications to the law and in the name of political correctness. The U.S. Communications Decency Act (CDA), for example, covers distribution of obscenity and harmful material using electronic systems. Internet service providers and platforms are generally not liable for online content under Section 230 of the CDA. Things get murky with AI-generated NSFW though. Since the AI itself could be seen as the “creator” of the content, questions are raised as who should be held accountable — the developers, the users, the platforms that deploy the technology.
Observations and Implications for the Industry
According to recent studies, between 20% and 35% of all internet searches are for adult content meaning that a significant amount of this potential demand could be for AI generated images and videos. A multi-billion dollar industry, stretching miles and miles ahead into the future of AI content generation efforts. This new form factual adoption creates unprecedented challenges for regulation and enforcement, as AI-generated content is not something that was ever allowed for when the laws on the books today were written.
Ethical quandaries / societal concerns
The use of AI in making NSFW content brings ethical questions, as well. There is a danger of someone using a photo of an individual who has given no consent and these images being tied back to the person with devastating personal and professional consequences! But equally, we cannot ignore the implications that AI might serve to validate and reproduce harmful stereotypes and biases in the content it generates. Such ethical issues prompts us to talk about the need for better ethical frameworks that support accountability and transparency in employing NSFW AI.
Creative Legal Interventions and Next Steps
This problem implies that uniquely different problems are predicted from NSFW AI, and then requires legal approaches to be innovative. Other areas may explore adding explicit reference to AI-created content in digital and privacy laws as a way to address this new frontier. For example, California included legislation to fight deepfakes, creating a ban on producing or sharing manipulated videos that were created without consent. Thus, in the future we may witness specific laws that take into account aspects of newborn AI generated NSFW content creation and distribution.
Navigating the Future
The law must also adapt to changes in AI technology. Innovation vs. regulation will be a question of balance. This will entail ongoing discussions among technologists, legal experts, and policymakers so that AI remains a force for the public good, adheres to the rules that society deems acceptable, and empowers individuals. This walk through those legal and ethical landmines will be absolutely key for long-term adoption of NSFW AI technologies.
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