A delivery driver, Livie Rose Henderson, posted a TikTok video alleging she was sexually assaulted by a customer while working as a DoorDash driver. The video sparked a firestorm of reactions, with many users questioning her version of events and others offering support.
However, things took a dark turn when a bot account on TikTok began to post videos using Black content creator Mirlie Larose's face and likeness without her consent. The videos were AI-generated and appeared to be deepfakes, with Larose's voice and facial expressions used to mock her response to the original video.
The situation highlights a growing digital blackface problem, where non-Black creators are using generative AI to adopt racialized stereotypes and perpetuate harm against Black communities online. The bot account, which had previously used Larose's face in other videos, was eventually removed from the app after @notKHRIS warned others about its misleading content.
The incident also raises questions about the responsibility of social media platforms like TikTok to detect and remove AI-generated deepfakes that exploit Black creators' likenesses without consent. OpenAI spokesperson Niko Felix said that the company's policies prohibit "misleading others through impersonation, scams, or fraud," but critics argue that more needs to be done to hold these companies accountable.
Some Black content creators are pushing back against this form of digital blackface, with Zaria Imani taking legal action under copyright infringement against multiple bot pages. Professor Meredith Broussard also calls for greater protections and safeguards for content creators whose likenesses are used in AI videos without their permission.
As the issue of digital blackface continues to grow, it's clear that bigger intervention is needed to hold these companies truly accountable. With actual education and collective action, we can do more than just get TikTok to stop – we can push for legislation that makes this completely not OK.
However, things took a dark turn when a bot account on TikTok began to post videos using Black content creator Mirlie Larose's face and likeness without her consent. The videos were AI-generated and appeared to be deepfakes, with Larose's voice and facial expressions used to mock her response to the original video.
The situation highlights a growing digital blackface problem, where non-Black creators are using generative AI to adopt racialized stereotypes and perpetuate harm against Black communities online. The bot account, which had previously used Larose's face in other videos, was eventually removed from the app after @notKHRIS warned others about its misleading content.
The incident also raises questions about the responsibility of social media platforms like TikTok to detect and remove AI-generated deepfakes that exploit Black creators' likenesses without consent. OpenAI spokesperson Niko Felix said that the company's policies prohibit "misleading others through impersonation, scams, or fraud," but critics argue that more needs to be done to hold these companies accountable.
Some Black content creators are pushing back against this form of digital blackface, with Zaria Imani taking legal action under copyright infringement against multiple bot pages. Professor Meredith Broussard also calls for greater protections and safeguards for content creators whose likenesses are used in AI videos without their permission.
As the issue of digital blackface continues to grow, it's clear that bigger intervention is needed to hold these companies truly accountable. With actual education and collective action, we can do more than just get TikTok to stop – we can push for legislation that makes this completely not OK.
I'm so mad about this whole thing! 
It's like, Livie Rose Henderson is already going through trauma from being sexually assaulted and then some bot account starts using Mirlie Larose's face without her consent? 
That's just low.
I mean, TikTok has AI-generated deepfakes removing accounts that use someone's likeness without permission, but it's not enough! 
We need actual laws and regulations in place to protect Black creators from this kind of digital blackface.
It's not just about being mean-spirited, it's about violating someone's rights and dignity. And you know what? I'm all for some serious legislation on this stuff too. We need to hold these companies accountable and make sure that creators can't just use people's likenesses without permission. 
We need to push for legislation that makes this kind of thing illegal, not just a slap on the wrist. Let's get behind these content creators and demand change! 
so yeah lets keep makin noise and maybe we can get some real change
... first Livie Rose Henderson thinks she's a victim of sexual assault and suddenly she's got a video going viral, but now it turns out someone's just messing with her online 
... but then that's not even the problem, we've got these AI-generated deepfakes where Black creators are being used without their consent - it's like, so wrong 
. I mean, come on, can't these companies just step up the game already? 
and yeah zaria imani is doing the right thing by taking legal action but like why should she have to do that in the first place ? shouldn't these companies be protecting their users instead of just letting them get exploited 
I'm still trying to process the whole thing with those deepfake videos using Mirlie's face without her consent 
Not only is it hurtful, but it's also kinda terrifying that we're living in a world where tech companies don't take responsibility for their own platforms 
. It's not just about policing the platform; it's about holding these companies accountable for the harm they're causing 
. We can't just wait for legislation or for TikTok to step up; we gotta take matters into our own hands and demand change 
. I feel so bad for Mirlie Larose and Livie Rose Henderson, who are already going through tough stuff, and having their likenesses used in these videos without consent is just unacceptable 
. We need more than just empty promises, we need real action 
.
. Let's work together to raise awareness and push for change 
. Maybe then we can create a safer online space for everyone 
.
... We need more education on AI-generated content and more accountability from companies like TikTok 
.
... I'm so down for Zaria Imani taking action under copyright infringement, but we need more systemic change 
like proper legislation that prohibits this digital blackface nonsense... can't we just have a platform where creators are respected and their voices aren't used to mock others? 
. shouldn't we be talking about why these things happen in the first place? is it because of a lack of empathy or understanding? and what does that say about our society as a whole? anyway, it's clear that more needs to be done to protect creators like Larose, but i think the conversation should go even deeper than just asking companies to do better...