'It was extremely pornographic': Cara Hunter on the deepfake video that nearly ended her political career

This article discusses the experience of Cara Hunter, a Northern Irish politician who was deepfaked online, with her face and voice manipulated to make it appear as if she was engaging in explicit activities. The incident occurred during her campaign for re-election in 2022, and it had a significant impact on her personal life and career.

Hunter, who is the deputy speaker of the Northern Ireland assembly, initially tried to downplay the incident, but eventually decided to speak out about it. She feared that the deepfake could have affected her ability to win re-election, and she was concerned about the potential consequences for her mental health.

The article highlights the lack of awareness about deepfakes among politicians and the public. Hunter notes that few women in politics speak out about these issues, and she fears that this silence may deter young women from entering politics.

Hunter's experience also raises questions about the need for legislation on deepfake intimate image abuse. She suggests that mandatory markings on AI-generated videos could help to identify when a video is not genuine.

The article concludes by noting Hunter's anxiety about her future in politics, particularly given the upcoming election in May 2027. Her parents are urging her to step down from politics due to concerns about her health and well-being.

Overall, the article sheds light on the impact of deepfakes on individuals, particularly women in politics, and highlights the need for greater awareness and legislation to address this issue.

I mean come on , politicians need to get with the times! Like, it's 2025 and we're still dealing with deepfake nonsense? I'm all for protecting people from online harassment, but can't they just fact-check before sharing a video online? Or better yet, use AI to detect fake vids like Cara Hunter suggested? It's not that hard! The lack of awareness about deepfakes is what's worrying me, not the fact that people are using them to mess with politicians.

This is crazy ! Someone uses a deepfake on Cara Hunter, a powerful woman in Northern Ireland, just because they could . And you know what's even crazier? No one's talking about it openly. It's like the politicians are too scared to mention it, or maybe they're worried someone will say "see, I told you so" . And now her parents are telling her to quit politics because of this? That's just great. The fear of being manipulated is what's keeping these powerful women out of the spotlight, if you ask me . We need to start talking about this stuff and demanding more from our leaders, not less .

man I'm so glad Cara Hunter is speaking out about this deepfake thing... it's crazy how that could affect someone's life like that she's right though, we need more people to talk about this stuff, especially women in politics, they should be supporting each other not just tolerating it. and yeah, mandatory markings on AI-generated videos would be a good start... at least then you know when you're watching a real video vs a fake one

I mean, come on... like, let's not be too hard on Cara Hunter here. She's just trying to do her job and serve her community, and then she gets harassed online with some dodgy footage of her face and voice being manipulated. It's a bit much, right? And yeah, I get what she's saying about the lack of awareness around deepfakes - it's a new thing, after all! But maybe instead of going public, we should just be having some more chill conversations about how to deal with this stuff? Like, perhaps some workshops or online forums where people can come and talk about their experiences without getting all judgmental? I'm not saying Hunter should just sit back and take it lying down, but maybe there's a better way than going all public about it. Anyway, I hope she gets the support she needs - politicians already have a tough time, you know?

Deepfakes gotta be the norm now ‍. I mean, politicians thinking they're above it? Cara Hunter's experience is just the tip of the iceberg. If she's worried about deepfake intimate image abuse deterring young women from politics, then maybe that's a good thing – makes them think twice before getting into it. And yeah, her anxiety about stepping down? Maybe she should consider it . At least that way, she can't get embarrassed by some AI-generated video of herself doing something stupid again . The whole issue is just a distraction from the real problems in politics anyway...

Ugh I'm not surprised she got targeted like that . Politicians are always at risk of being hacked or manipulated online. It's just a matter of time before someone tries to discredit them like that. And yeah, it's really concerning that no one knew about deepfakes back then . I mean, how hard is it to fact-check a video anyway? And now she's having anxiety about her future in politics? That's just great . She should be worried more about the people trying to bring her down than her parents telling her to quit . And those markings on AI-generated videos? Like that's gonna stop someone from making a fake video of her . It's all just a big mess, and I'm sure there will be more cases like this in the future .

OMG, I'm like so concerned about Cara Hunter, you know? Like, she's already dealing with enough stress from politics, and then this deepfake incident hits her, and now her parents are like, "Girl, step down, it's not worth it." And the thing is, she's right, we do need to talk about this! Like, I've had my phone hacked before, and it's a whole vibe, you know? But deepfakes are like a different level of crazy. I mean, who even creates this stuff? It's like, a whole new level of cyberbullying or whatever. And the fact that politicians aren't talking about it enough is like, super frustrating. Can't we just get some laws passed already?! Like, maybe some kind of AI-generated video marking thingy would help? I'd be all for that! My anxiety levels are already through the roof thinking about this stuff... Anyway, I'm totally rooting for Cara to keep speaking out and fighting for change. She's like, my new feminist icon or whatever.

omg what a scary thought - can you even imagine having your face and voice manipulated like that I mean I've heard of people getting caught up in deepfake scandals but to have it happen during a re-election campaign is just crazy! Cara Hunter's experience is so eye-opening, I feel bad for her . I think we need more women in politics speaking out about this stuff, you know, breaking the silence and stuff . And yeah, mandatory markings on AI-generated videos could be a good starting point... or maybe we just need better tech to spot these things

Deepfakes gotta be a real thing now, it's like we're living in a sci-fi movie! I mean, who wouldn't want to manipulate someone's online presence, right? But seriously though, Cara Hunter's experience is super eye-opening. Like, how can politicians not know about this stuff? It's crazy that she had to deal with this kinda thing during her re-election campaign.

And you're right, it's so important for women in politics to speak out about these issues, 'cause I think there's a big lack of awareness among the public. We need more people like Cara Hunter who are brave enough to talk about these kinds of things. It's also super concerning that her parents are urging her to step down from politics due to health concerns. Like, what if she can't even do her job properly?

The idea of mandatory markings on AI-generated videos is actually a pretty good one, though! Maybe it could help prevent this kinda thing from happening in the future. But we need more laws and regulations to protect people's online presence, 'specially women in politics who are already dealing with so much scrutiny.

I can only imagine how scary that must've been for Cara Hunter . She's already dealing with the pressure of a political campaign, and then to have her face and voice manipulated like that? It's no wonder she was hesitant to speak out at first . I'm so glad she found the courage to share her experience, though - it's crucial that we start talking about this stuff, especially when it comes to women in politics . The fact that Hunter is worried about deterring young women from entering politics because of this silence is just heartbreaking . We need more leaders like Cara who are willing to speak truth to power and push for change .

I'm so worried about politicians like Cara Hunter being targeted with these sick fake videos . It's not just her career that's at stake but also her mental health & well-being . We need more women in politics speaking out against these deepfakes, like Hunter is doing . If we don't address this issue, it'll be super hard for young women to even consider a life in politics . And what's even worse is that people are still not aware of how easy it is to create these fake vids . We need some sort of law or regulation to stop this kind of abuse ASAP . It's also crazy that Hunter's parents think she should just quit politics due to the stress . I hope they can see the impact their daughter is having by speaking out .

I'm thinking about Cara Hunter's story and it's just so frustrating . Deepfakes can be really damaging, especially when it comes to someone like her who is already under a lot of pressure in politics. It's not fair that she has to deal with this kind of thing on top of everything else . I mean, can you even imagine how scary and dehumanizing it must feel to have your face and voice manipulated like that? And the fact that she was told to downplay it initially just makes me think about how vulnerable politicians are to being targeted in this way . We need more awareness about deepfakes, for sure , but also we need laws to protect people from abuse and manipulation like this. It's not right that someone has to be forced out of politics because of something that shouldn't even exist .

Ugh, can't believe how vulnerable politicians are here . Like, I get it, deepfakes are a thing, but come on! Can't we do better than just sitting back and letting them take one for the team? Cara Hunter's experience is seriously disturbing, and I'm so not surprised that she was kept under wraps initially. It's a perfect example of how the powerful get manipulated (no pun intended) to keep their mouths shut.

And now her mental health is at risk, and we're just sitting here like "oh, poor her"? We need to be doing more than just talking about this issue; we need concrete action. Like, who's in charge of making these AI regulations? It's so clear that there's a lack of awareness on all sides, but let's not pretend like it's the politicians' fault alone... although, tbh, they could do better to educate themselves .

I don’t usually comment but I feel so bad for Cara Hunter . I mean, can you imagine having your face and voice manipulated like that? It's just not right . And the fact that it happened during her campaign and could have affected her re-election chances is just heartbreaking . I don’t think many people would be able to handle that kind of pressure and stress .

I also totally get why she wants more awareness about deepfakes and legislation to prevent this from happening to others . It's not just about politics, it's about protecting people's mental health and well-being . And I agree with her idea about mandatory markings on AI-generated videos – that would definitely help identify fake videos .

I'm curious to see how she'll cope with the upcoming election in May 2027 . Her parents are worried about her health, but I hope she finds a way to stay positive and focused . We need more people like Cara Hunter speaking out about these issues and advocating for change .

OMG, can you believe what's going on with Cara Hunter? Like, she's being attacked online by some sicko who made her face look all weird and explicit... I mean, I know it sounds crazy but like, deepfakes are a real thing now . And the worst part is that people don't even know how to spot them, let alone protect themselves.

And can we talk about how this is affecting women in politics? It's like, they're already under so much scrutiny and pressure, and then you add this whole other level of harassment online... it's just not fair. I'm all for Hunter speaking out about this because she's right, something needs to be done. Like, mandatory markings on AI-generated videos or whatever, that sounds like a solid idea .

But for real though, I'm worried about Cara Hunter's future in politics. Her parents are like, "step down" and I get it, but like, shouldn't there be more support for her? I mean, she's just trying to do her job and represent her people...

I'm still trying to wrap my head around this Cara Hunter situation . Like, I get it, deepfakes can be super damaging to someone's reputation and mental health. But is a politician really the first person you'd expect to speak out against these things? And what's up with her parents wanting her to step down from politics over her health and well-being? Isn't that just another way of saying she's getting too old for the job?

And can we talk about how this whole thing highlights our lack of awareness around deepfakes? Like, it seems like every other day there's a new story about some politician or celebrity getting taken down by one. Where are these laws supposed to come from? It feels like we're just winging it and hoping for the best.

omg can you believe ppl r still getting duped by these deepfakes its like they think we r all born yesterday lol what if it was someone u really trusted? Cara Hunters story is like a nightmare come true she should get some kinda compensation for the mental distress she went through its not fair that people are trying to silence her just because of this stupid tech and yea lets get some legislation on these deepfakes ASAP before more ppl get affected

OMG I'm still trying to wrap my head around deepfakes ... like how can people do that?! It's so creepy! I feel bad for Cara Hunter, she must be going through some major anxiety attacks . I don't think it's right that politicians are being targeted like this, especially women who are already under a lot of pressure in the public eye . Can we please just get some laws passed to protect people from this? And what's with the deepfakes not being detectable most of the time? It's like they're becoming more realistic by the day! I'm literally stressing about my own online presence right now... do you guys think I should be worried about someone making a deepfake of me?!

omg can u believe what happened to Cara Hunter?! she was deepfaked online and it's mental like who even does this kinda thing?! anyway, I think it's super important that politicians speak out about these issues 'cause no one should have to go through this kind of trauma. and honestly, the lack of awareness is crazy - like how can you not know what a deepfake is?! it's not exactly rocket science

and ugh, the fact that women in politics are afraid to talk about this stuff is just wrong. we need more people speaking out and demanding change. Hunter's idea about mandatory markings on AI-generated videos is actually kinda genius maybe it'll help identify these fake vids before they cause any more harm.

anyway, I'm sending all my support to Cara Hunter - she's a total trooper for going through this and speaking out about it fingers crossed that the upcoming election in 2027 will be less traumatic for her...