Google's anti-deepfake Search tools are becoming increasingly adept at hiding results and removing images.
Google has increased the impact of removing deepfake porn at the request of the individuals featured in it and changed the core search function to make it harder to find non-consensual content.
Recent advances in generative AI have led to a rapid increase in realistic deepfake pornographic films and photos that have appeared online without the knowledge of those involved. Not only can deepfake content be very uncomfortable for those involved but it can also be used illegally for such things as financial extortion
Google's latest offensive aims to remove images, in addition to spreading information about the damage caused by deepfake porn. Users can already ask Google to remove a supposed deepfake image of themselves from search results; if the removal is accepted, the search engine will now attempt to exclude all explicit results from searches related to the user.
In addition, if an alleged deepfake image is successfully removed, Google's systems will now search for duplicates of that image and remove any duplicates found.
Theoretically, this will lead to a much more powerful deepfake removal system expanding Google's removal network. Google stated: "These initiatives are designed to give people additional peace of mind, especially if they are concerned that similar content will appear about them in the future."
In addition, Google has made changes that should generally make it more difficult to access nonconsensual deepfake porn through its search function. Google no longer returns deepfake porn results if you search for someone's name in conjunction with deepfake porn; instead, it displays what it calls "non-explicit high-quality content."
The concept is that news articles about how a particular celebrity has been influenced by or connected to deepfake porn may appear if you search for deepfake porn featuring that celebrity. A kind of "moral audit" of reliable news sources.
Google took action earlier in 2024 to reduce the visibility of deepfake porn in searches and banned Google Ads from promoting it. The company claimed victim survivors and deepfake experts provided input it used to inform the latest Search upgrades.
"These are important updates to our safeguards on Search, but there is more work to do to address this issue and we will continue to devise new ways to help people affected by this content," continued Google.
