Man jailed for using AI to create deepfake porn

An online pervert who used artificial intelligence (AI) to create deepfake pornography of women he knew has been jailed for five years.

Brandon Tyler, 26, manipulated images from social media pages and posted them in a forum that glorified "rape culture", Chelmsford Crown Court heard.

The bar worker, from Braintree, Essex, was described by the judge as "showing the worst kind of toxic masculinity".

He admitted 18 counts of causing harassment without violence and 15 counts of sharing an intimate photo or film of a person for sexual gratification.

Warning: This story contains distressing content

The court heard 20 women were targeted in 173 online posts by Tyler, of Railway Street, between March 2023 and May 2024.

Posting a picture of one victim, he asked users "which one deserves to be gang raped?"

Judge Alexander Mills said: "Toxic masculinity is a term that is often heard.

"There is perhaps no greater example of it than your humiliating and degrading conduct to the victims in this case.

"These people had a right to post their images on social media platforms without fear of those images being warped for sexual purposes."

As Tyler was sentenced, one victim said: "I am grateful he has to face the reality that we are all aware of his secret."

The sharing of sexually explicit deepfake images was made a criminal offence in England and Wales under an amendment to the Online Safety Act in April 2023.

The governement hoped to make creating such images an offence in its Crime and Policing Bill, which is at currently at Committee Stage.

Tyler, who has a daughter, used an online alias to upload his graphic cache of images online, the court heard.

His posts were accompanied by "sexualised and explicit" comments by others, prosecutor Emily Farrelly said, describing the forum as one that championed a "rape culture and sexual violence to women".

She revealed the victims were "completely naked" in some.

Tyler also downloaded a bikini image posted by one complainant on Instagram and used AI to remove the clothing, the court heard.

Another explicit edit was made on a photograph of a 16-year-old girl on her prom night.

"The defendant clearly planned his behaviour, trawling across social media accounts and editing the images as he wished," Ms Farrelly said.

Tyler also posted his victims' names and social media handles online, as well as their phone numbers, the court heard.

"The defendant clearly intended to maximise distress and humiliation for the victims," the prosecutor added.

Tyler was caught when he accidentally included his own Instagram handle in a screenshot taken of one of the women's accounts.

Two of the victims wept in the witness box as they told the judge of the impact Tyler's offending had on them.

One said she continued to receive "anonymous sexual comments" from people calling her phone, claiming it led to her long-term relationship ending.

"I have and still do feel completely violated by what Brandon did to me," another added. "I feel mortified and disgusted."

Judge Mills said Tyler lived in a "dark world of fantasy" and "clearly intended to degrade and humiliate" them with his actions.

He added: "The posts read like an advertising poster for the worst kind of toxic masculinity."

In mitigation, Michael Edmonds said Tyler had "struggled with a porn addiction from a young age", insisting he was not a misogynist or an "incel" - a term used to describe men who blame women because they are unable to find a sexual partner.

"This is not a man who has offended in any way, shape or form before. It is just bizarre that he did it," Mr Edmonds added.

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