Women and children deepfake (Oct 2024)

In early 2020, a Telegram bot was discovered that generated over 100,000 explicit AI-generated images, including those of children. A recent investigation revealed at least 50 Telegram bots claiming to create explicit photos and videos with minimal input, boasting over 4 million combined monthly users. These bots are often supported by associated Telegram channels with millions of subscribers, advertising new features, and offering "tokens" for use. Many bots clearly advertise their function—creating nude or sexually explicit images of women. Some require users to pay for tokens to use the service. One bot, with over 300,000 users, deceptively hid its explicit function behind a non-explicit name and landing page. Following WIRED's contact, Telegram removed 75 identified bots and channels; however, additional channels and bots quickly appeared.