AI deepfakes of dozens of Canadian women in violent and sexual images shared online
AI deepfakes of Canadian women's images were allegedly used to create violent and sexual content, leading to charges of harassment and online exploitation.
- Incident date
- May 2026
- Target
- Dozens of Canadian women
Dozens of Canadian women have reported that their images were taken from social media and manipulated using AI to generate realistic photos and videos depicting them in violent and sexual acts. The victims expressed feeling violated and terrified after learning about the deepfakes.
What happened
Two men have been charged following a multi-jurisdictional investigation into criminal harassment and online exploitation of women using AI-generated nude deepfakes. One man faces charges including harassment, uttering threats, and publishing obscene material. The other faces charges including harassment and publishing intimate images without consent. The deepfake images depicted the women in violent and graphic scenes, including rape, torture, bondage, and kidnapping, with some images including text such as, “Keep calm and rape them.” Most of the women knew one of the accused in some capacity, and believe their photos were obtained from their social media accounts.