"While legal and technological responses are still developing, far less attention has been paid to a critical psychological question: How do ordinary people perceive harm when this abuse happens, and to whom? In a new preregistered experimental study I conducted with nearly 2,000 adults across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia, participants viewed identical sexualized deepfake images that varied only by the victim's gender (female or male) and race (Black, East Asian, or white) (Eaton et al., 2025)."
"Across all three countries, participants perceived female victims as more harmed than male victims by both the creation and sharing of sexualized deepfakes, even though the images were otherwise identical. This pattern reflects long-standing sexual double standards and beliefs that men are less vulnerable to sexual harm. Psychological research consistently shows that male victims of sexual violence are viewed as less credible and less harmed, in part because masculinity norms conflict with victimhood (Thomas & Kopel, 2023)."
A preregistered experimental study with nearly 2,000 adults across the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia presented identical sexualized deepfake images that varied only by victim gender and race. Participants rated victim blame, perpetrator responsibility, and perceived harm. Across countries, female victims were perceived as more harmed than male victims despite identical images. Male participants were more likely to minimize harm and excuse perpetrators. In the United States, racialized gender stereotypes reduced perceived harm for Black women. Findings indicate that responses to sexualized deepfakes are shaped by gender, race, and national context as bias problems as well as technological ones.
Read at Psychology Today
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