Google (NASDAQ: GOOGL) Unveils New Policy Updates to Intensify Its Fight Against AI-Generated Explicit Content

In a statement, the tech giant disclosed that it will demote results of explicit deepfakes in Google Search to protect victims from bad actors amid a spike in offensive incidents.

Google (NASDAQ:GOOGL) has announced new policy updates in an effort to bolster its fight against artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content that depicts individuals in explicit contexts without their permission.

In a statement on Monday, the tech giant said it will begin demoting explicit deepfakes in Google Search results in a bid to protect victims from bad actors, especially amid a spike in offensive incidents. According to Google, the latest tools against deepfakes enhance its existing policies, with the most drastic change being the ease of filing complaints.

While victims have always had the right to request takedowns of non-consensual fake content from Google Search, the latest improvements will now allow them to easily report offending websites. Google’s statement said the company will also remove duplicates of the derogatory content on the web, building on its experiments with other illicit content.

"These efforts are designed to give people added peace of mind, especially if they’re concerned about similar content about them popping up in the future," the statement reads.

The second line of defense in Google’s arsenal against deepfakes is an enhancement in the Search ranking system. Google believes its decision to build systems that rank quality information at the top of Search may be "the best protection against harmful content."

Going forward, the search giant said it will push AI-generated NSFW (not safe for work) content lower in its rankings to stifle its distribution. For searches involving specific names, Google says it will promote high-quality, non-explicit content to drown out the exposure to AI-generated deepfakes.

There are plans to outrightly demote websites that have a slew of reports against them for AI deepfakes, smothering their circulation and distribution from the source.

Combined, the features are expected to reduce incidents by up to 70%, but the company notes that the fight is far from finished. For now, Google continues to grapple with distinguishing between consensual and non-consensual deepfakes, as search engines are unable to make the distinction.

"These changes are major updates to our protections on Search, but there’s more work to do to address this issue, and we’ll keep developing new solutions to help people affected by this content," said Google.

In search for the final solution

Speaking to the matter, Google executives said the new initiatives are not the silver bullets to solve the issue of AI-generated explicit content, arguing that industry-wide partnerships may be the way out. Several tech giants are exploring common strategies to deal with the scourge as they walk the fine line between censoring free speech and protecting users.

Regulators are also stepping into the fray to protect victims following the rollout of new playbooks for AI developers and users. On the other hand, experts argue that integrating AI with blockchain technology may allow search engines to confirm the authenticity of AI-generated content to protect victims.

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