Deepnudes are realistic but completely faked nude images or videos of a person through the use of artificial intelligence. 

A study conducted in Belgium revealed that 41.9 per cent of the Belgian youth have already heard of deepnudes, 13.8 per cent of the Belgian youth have ever received a deepnude, 12.8 per cent know about deepnude apps, and of those familiar with apps, 60.5 per cent of them have already tried to make a deepnude themselves. This is according to a study by the University of Antwerp (UA) of more than 2,800 Belgian young people between 15 and 25 years old, commissioned by the Institute for Gender Equality, Child Focus, and the State Secretary for Equal Opportunities, Gender Equality and Diversity. State Secretary Marie-Colline Leroy reiterated that making deepnudes without consent is punishable and causes great harm to victims.

Discover the entire study here in Dutch, in English, and in French.

The study conducted by UA conducts an analysis of the most widely used and popular deepnude apps and takes a detailed look at how deepnudes are embroiled in the lifestyles of Belgian youth. The results are staggering and call for action.

Increasingly familiar to young people 

Making deepnudes of minors or adults without consent is punishable. 12.8 per cent of young people know about deepnude apps and, of that number, 60.5 per cent of them have already tried to make a deepnude themselves. Do young people know that this is illegal and are they sufficiently aware of the harm it causes victims? Research shows that the mental consequences and impact for victims of forwarded deepnudes are similar to other forms of digital sexual image abuse, such as non-consensual sexting. Being a victim of sexual image abuse can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorders, depression, loss of self-confidence and even suicidal ideation.

Research is a clear call to action

Secretary of State Leroy is concerned that predominantly women are victims. Deepnudes are yet another expression of a lack of respect for female integrity and the objectification of the female body.

“Making a deepnude without consent, or of a minor, is illegal. Moreover, it causes victims a great deal of harm. Moreover, the study clearly states that deepnudes are a mirror of the deeper gender inequalities in our society. We must remain vigilant to new phenomena that emerge and seek to repeat and even reinforce old patterns. New technologies present us with new challenges. Therefore, this study is a clear call-to-action for everyone in contact with our young people: the schools, parents, governments, media and technology companies. I will therefore share this study with my fellow ministers involved around the issue so that this form of gender-based violence can be addressed in all areas.”

The study assessed that the Belgian legal framework is already strongly built for punishing the making and sharing of non-consensual deepnudes or deepnudes of minors (fictional or otherwise). At the EU level, regulations along these lines are on the rise. In contrast, there is a lack of both a legal and self-regulatory framework for deepnude applications themselves.

More international cooperation

The Institute for Gender Equality calls for more international cooperation to combat this phenomenon: “It is plausible that more and more deepnudes will be created and shared, as apps will be developed even more and more easily. Those who enable such technological developments must ensure that the tools cannot be used for evil. That responsibility must be placed on the developers and providers of the apps. Belgium cannot stand alone against the foreign apps that flout our laws to protect people.” The Institute further emphasises that this is not just a youth phenomenon. It receives reports from adults who were victims of the creation and forwarding of deepnudes without consent.

Professors Catherine Van de Heyning and Michel Walrave conclude, “From the research that a large proportion of our young people know what deepnudes are. It is problematic that deepnude apps are so easily available on the internet.  Those who know the apps will mostly use them. It is then mostly the boys who use these apps. Punishing the use of deepnude is one thing. But if we really want to fight this phenomenon, we will have to put more effort into regulating the market of these kinds of apps and media literacy."

Find more information about the work of the Belgian Safer Internet Centre, including its awareness raising, helpline, hotline, and youth participation services, or find similar information for other Safer Internet Centres throughout Europe.