Laura Harth is a human rights activist who exposed an illegal Chinese police station in New York. Following her revelation, she faced bizarre and sexualized online slurs. Claims suggested she had an affair with Tim Walz, a former vice presidential candidate for the Democratic Party. This harassment began four years ago. In April, the situation worsened as AI-generated deepfake porn images of Harth began circulating online.
Su Yutong, another activist from China, has been a victim of such harassment for 15 years. It began with accusations of promiscuity and photoshopped nude images. She now faces deepfake porn images nearly every day. Both activists are part of a long-standing campaign targeting women who challenge the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Deepfakes Amplify Harassment
Women criticizing the CCP face coordinated online sexual harassment campaigns. These campaigns are large-scale efforts driven by individuals linked to the Chinese state, according to companies like Meta and OpenAI.
Some activists are fighting back. Harth publicly shared the images on Safeguard Defenders’ website, emphasizing that the shame belongs to the attackers. She stated, “I don’t identify with these images at all, and I hope that is a taboo we can break. Because that’s not you. That’s an image of the CCP.” Activists like Harth are calling out the behavior to challenge the narrative.
A Global Network of Harassment
Newsweek interviewed four politically active women from Canada, the UK, Germany, and Italy. They reported similar harassment believed to originate from China, often in response to their activist efforts or sensitive political events. Authorities in their respective countries struggle to tackle these issues effectively.
Malicious account activity remains persistent, appearing frequently across platforms like X, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, and TikTok. These accounts are part of multi-year campaigns linked to individuals connected to Chinese law enforcement, according to tech companies.
Sex Kompromat and Reputational Damage
Intelligence expert Nathalie Vogel explained that the harassment uses “sex kompromat,” aiming to discredit activists. A Russian term, it refers to compromising material designed to harm reputations. Women are targeted due to “shame as a feminine vulnerability.” The age of AI has evolved these tactics significantly.
Zang Xihong, a Canadian commentator and CCP critic, shared her experiences of receiving false explicit images during a democracy event. These tactics focus on women as they don’t typically harm men in the same way.
Legal systems often struggle to address these attacks. Zang found minimal support from Canadian authorities, while the U.S. recently convicted its first case for AI-generated obscene materials in Ohio. Italy has taken legislative measures against AI deepfakes.
Zang noted that although laws are essential, getting China to acknowledge its involvement is challenging. These tactics are designed to discourage female dissidents.
Misogyny and Control
Su Yutong emphasized the impact of these attacks on women’s reputations. For her, it started in 2011 with rumors of an affair. Techniques have changed, but the goal remains attacks on women as “loose” to socially ostracize them in China.
Su faces direct consequences, with her address circulated by malicious actors leading to strangers visiting her home. Her family in China also experiences police harassment.
Tactics for Coping
Some victims choose to confront the harassment publicly. Others, like Carmen Lau, struggle with this approach. Lau, a democracy activist living in London, experienced harassment through fake images mailed to her neighbors.
Lau’s harassment began with fake videos in Hong Kong during elections opposed by Beijing. The emotional toll is real, balancing activist resilience with personal impacts.
Harth relates to these struggles. Despite being non-Chinese, her position allows more openness about her harassment. She acknowledges her privileged position and responsibility to speak out.
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