There’s been a big jump in people visiting websites that let you create fake sexual images using AI. A recent survey by The Yomiuri Shimbun showed that over the past year, more than 18 million visits to these sites came from Japan. That’s a lot, making Japan the third biggest user after the US and India.
These sites are pretty dangerous because they let users upload pictures and turn them into fake, explicit content. It’s not just some harmless fun — this kind of stuff spreads easily on social media and can really hurt people’s privacy and reputations. Honestly, it’s kind of scary how fast this is growing.
Why This Deepfake Trend Is Worrying
Experts are sounding the alarm about these deepfake sites. Ichiro Sato, a professor at Japan’s National Institute of Informatics, says Japan needs rules and laws to stop this misuse. He also thinks teaching people better about how to spot and avoid fake content online is super important. Because right now, these deepfakes can do real damage to people’s lives.
Some facts from the survey show that on average, about 410,000 people in Japan visit these sites each month — and most do this on their phones. Many of these sites are available in English and Russian too, but some are in Japanese, which makes them easier for people in Japan to use.
Deepfake Content Is Growing Fast Worldwide
This rise in Japan isn’t happening alone. The launch of new deepfake websites in 2024 has made the problem even bigger. A cybersecurity company in the US called Security Hero reported that in 2023 alone, almost 96,000 deepfake videos appeared online — that’s five times more than in 2019! And almost all of these were sexually explicit.
Countries around the world are starting to try and control this problem with new laws. Japan is being urged to do the same, to protect people from the harm caused by these fake images and videos. Experts say it’s not just about laws though — people also need to learn how to be careful with what they see and share online.
