35-year-old professional woman harassed via deepfake videos on YouTube and social media platforms

Summary

In August 2024, Joanne Chew discovered deepfake videos of herself being used in explicit content online after searching her name following a professional milestone. The deepfakes, which included racist slurs and were posted under the username “Ron,” increased in volume over the following months, with hundreds of videos uploaded across multiple platforms including YouTube and tube sites. Chew attempted to report and remove the content herself but found the process ineffective and emotionally taxing. By August 2024, her harasser had created over 2,000 pieces of content and began contacting her directly through social media, sending messages that included threats and pleas for attention. In response, Chew publicly addressed the harassment on Instagram and filed a complaint with YouTube, which initially did not remove the content despite its violation of the platform’s policies on synthetic media. The harassment continued into September 2024, with her harasser commenting on her posts and sending her a barrage of messages.