For nearly ten years, Bree Smith was well-known in Nashville as a television meteorologist. However, in January, she chose to step back from her role at a CBS-affiliated station. This decision came after a prolonged struggle against a rising menace in the digital world: deepfakes, which are manipulated images or videos that can convincingly replicate someone’s appearance.

The Dark Side of Digital Manipulation

Smith became a victim of a deepfake scandal where her likeness was used to create explicit content. This involved altering her image to portray her in compromising situations and leveraging these fake representations to extort money from others. The FBI has reported that this type of “sextortion” has afflicted tens of thousands of Americans in the past year alone.

“I cry myself to sleep most nights, mostly because I don’t want my kids to see me,” said Smith, reflecting on the emotional toll of her experiences. The first signs of trouble emerged when Smith received an email containing a screenshot of a communication involving an impersonator masquerading as her through a doctored image.

Numerous fake accounts quickly appeared online, presenting offers for private encounters. Over a week, Smith monitored and documented 24 fraudulent accounts in a Google spreadsheet, among hundreds that have since surfaced. A fabricated video further fueled the disinformation, featuring a deepfake representation of her.

Taking a Stand: Advocacy and Legislation

In response to this harrowing experience, Smith has become a staunch advocate for comprehensive regulations aimed at empowering victims of sextortion. Recently, her efforts bore fruit when a bill she endorsed passed in the Tennessee Senate. Titled the “Preventing Deepfake Images Act,” the legislation is now awaiting the signature of Tennessee Governor Bill Lee. This law will provide a legal route for individuals whose images are exploited without their consent to take legal action.

“These imposters are trying to take my story, and my story is mine,” Smith stated emphatically. “This is my life. I’m 43 years old and I have worked hard and I have loved well, and I’m not going to just roll over and take this.”

While establishing legal definitions of such actions is a crucial first step, Smith stresses the need for continued efforts to find effective means of preventing such fraud and holding perpetrators accountable.

A Voice for Victims

As part of her advocacy, Smith provided testimony before the Tennessee House Criminal Justice Subcommittee last month, detailing how deepfake accounts impersonating her have proliferated across social media platforms. The volume of these accounts has surpassed her ability to personally report them.

“I’m just supposed to look at them and say, ‘nothing we can do, bud?'” she asked lawmakers, highlighting the frustration many victims face in combating this issue.

The Widespread Impact of Sextortion

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, over 34,000 individuals fell victim to sextortion scams in 2023, up from more than 54,000 the previous year. This alarming trend includes financial sextortion, wherein offenders threaten to release explicit materials unless victims comply with financial demands. Such tactics have increasingly targeted minors as well as adults.

Hayley Elizondo from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children noted that financial gain remains the primary motive for these offenders. “These offenders, their whole game is to make money,” she said. “I’m not surprised that we are seeing adults also become the target of financial sextortion.”

Next Steps for Victims

Officials emphasize the importance of reporting deepfake content if individuals believe they are victims. “If you come across deepfake content that involves you or someone you know, report it to the platform hosting the content,” advises the National Cybersecurity Alliance. This can facilitate the removal or investigation of the fraudulent material.

Additionally, victims are encouraged to alert federal law enforcement through the Internet Crime Complaint Center to aid in broader investigations.