India ranks second in the list of countries whose users access websites that create sexually explicit deepfake images using generative AI. With extensive use of artificial intelligence, it is becoming increasingly common in India and overseas for people to create explicit deepfakes. These images are then spread through social media, a survey by The Yomiuri Shimbun said.

United States leads the pack for AI generated explicit content, followed by India. Japan stands third with more than 18 million visits over a year. The problem is compounded by the role these websites play in allowing users to create such images. It is important to note that more than half the websites are believed to have been launched this year.

The websites allow users to upload images of individuals and modify them to remove clothing. Instructions on these websites are primarily in English and Russian, with some also available in Japanese.

Concerned over the issue, an expert from Japan raised alarm and propagates enforcement of rules and regulations. The report identified 41 websites that allow users to create fake sexual images. Digital analysis firm Similarweb Ltd used a tool to analyse the data about visits to the sites. The one-year period spanning December 2023 to November 2024 was examined.

Website traffic across countries

The survey revealed, United States witnessed the most traffic at around 59.73 million visits on these websites, India saw 24.57 million visits while Japan witnessed 18.43 million visits. Russia stood fourth with 17.59 million visits and Germany stands at 16.86 million visits.

A study suggested that most of the users accessed these websites through smartphones. A survey conducted by the US security firm Security Hero confirmed that there were 95,820 deepfake videos available online in 2023, which is 5.5 times more than in 2019. Furthermore, 98% of these videos were of a sexual nature.