Perspectives on Non-consensual Deepfake Pornography

A Content Analysis of Reddit Discussions Initiated by Perpetrators, Victims, and Bystanders

Bibliographic Data

ID12466705
AuthorsThuy Dung Le (0009-0004-2846-1025, Technische Universität Ilmenau), Nicola Döring (0000-0003-1299-4586, Technische Universität Ilmenau, corresponding author)
Year2026
Volume30
Issue4
Pages2319-2343
Publication date2026-03-04
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSexuality & Culture (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 1095-5143 • E-ISSN: 1936-4822
PublisherSpringer Science+Business Media (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1007/s12119-026-10566-x
OpenAlexW7133489116
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited56

Non-consensual deepfake pornography is an emerging form of image-based sexual abuse (IBSA). It involves the non-consensual creation, distribution, or threat to distribute nude or sexual imagery generated using artificial intelligence (AI-IBSA). Although the legal, socio-cultural, and technological aspects of this phenomenon have received scholarly attention, the lived experiences of those involved remain underexamined. This study addresses this gap by analyzing Reddit discussions to examine the perspectives of perpetrators, victims, bystanders, and the community responses, drawing on routine activity theory (RAT). A deductive analysis of 134 Reddit initial posts identified who initiated the discussions (RQ1) and the relational, gender, and age dynamics between parties (RQ2). Seven typical discussion threads (269 comments) were inductively analyzed to explore the experiences of perpetrators (RQ3), victims (RQ4), and bystanders (RQ5), alongside community responses. Findings indicate that most threads were initiated by bystanders (45.5%; RQ1). Victims (85.8%) and bystanders (46.3%) were predominantly women, while perpetrators were mostly men (81.3%), often targeting individuals within their social networks (RQ2). Experiences ranged from perpetrators’ guilt to victims’ and bystanders’ distress. Across groups, participants reported emotional, psychological, relational, and interpersonal harms (RQ3–5). Through the lens of RAT, the study highlights the convergence of perpetrators’ motives and technical capabilities, victims’ vulnerability factors, and bystanders’ lack of capable guardianship. Community responses on Reddit offered support and moral reflection but also revealed patterns of harm minimization and technological fascination. These findings underscore the need for multi-level interventions, including mental health support, legal resources, digital literacy, and public education on consent and tech-facilitated abuse

Content analysis · Harm · Interpersonal communication · Mental health · Phenomenon · Poison control · Pornography · Psychological resilience · Social learning theory · Suicide prevention · Gender, Feminism, and Media · Sex work and related issues · Sexuality, Behavior, and Technology

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