The political arena has become increasingly difficult for women leaders, with the emergence of generative AI bringing greater dangers for female politicians compared to their male peers, as highlighted in a recent study.

The research, published this week by the disinformation-centered think tank **American Sunlight Project (ASP)** and covered by *The 19th* on December 11, identified over 35,000 occurrences of digitally manipulated nonconsensual intimate imagery (NCII) involving 26 Congressional members. The results underscore a notable gender imbalance: 25 of the politicians featured in these AI-created images were women, whereas only one was a man.

The report emphasizes the unequal targeting of women in Congress, who are found to be 70 times more susceptible than their male counterparts to becoming victims of nonconsensual synthetic imagery. Alarmingly, approximately 16 percent of female members of Congress—about one in six—have faced such violations.

Attempts to combat the spread of NCII and AI-generated deepfakes have been bipartisan but sluggish. In January, a group of Senators proposed the **Disrupt Explicit Forged Images and Non-Consensual Edits Act of 2024 (Defiance Act)**, aiming to make the distribution of AI-created sexualized “digital forgeries” illegal. While the Senate approved the bill in July, it is still under review in the House.

In more recent developments, the Senate passed the **Take It Down Act**, introduced by Senator Ted Cruz in June. This legislation not only criminalizes the distribution of deepfakes but also holds companies accountable with penalties if they do not remove such content within 48 hours of it being reported.

The gendered ramifications of AI-generated imagery are significant, especially as women leaders contend with a more hostile online atmosphere. In August, the Center for Countering Digital Hate released a report detailing the rise of online harassment aimed at female politicians. An assessment of Instagram accounts belonging to 10 female incumbents revealed that one in 25 comments was “highly likely” to be toxic. Disturbingly, Instagram took no action on 93 percent of reported abusive comments.

“We need to confront this new landscape and recognize that the internet has facilitated numerous harms that disproportionately affect women and marginalized groups,” stated Nina Jankowicz, founder of the American Sunlight Project and author of the report. “I hope lawmakers will be motivated to act once they see that this issue not only impacts American women but also their own colleagues. This is occurring solely because they are in the public spotlight.”

ASP informed the offices of the politicians impacted by the AI-generated NCII. Although the images were mostly removed following the notifications, there were no responses from the politicians’ offices.

For individuals who have suffered from the nonconsensual distribution of intimate images, the **Cyber Civil Rights Initiative** provides a 24/7 hotline at **844-878-2274** for free and confidential support. Further resources and international assistance can be accessed on the [CCRI website](https://www.cybercivilrights.org/victim-resources/).