35,000 AI Deepfake Models Found Online – The Shocking Rise of Non-Consensual Porn

The Disturbing Reality of AI-Generated AbuseA new study reveals nearly 35,000 publicly downloadable AI models capable of generating deepfake pornography—often targeting women and celebrities. These "model variants" can be tweaked to create millions of non-consensual intimate images, fuelling a growing crisis in digital exploitation. Researchers identified 35,000 deepfake model variants in public repositories, with each model being used to generate countless AI-generated explicit images of real people. While 35,000 models may seem small compared to the vast internet, each one represents a potential weapon for harassment. Experts warn that without stricter regulation, deepfake abuse could spiral further out of control. The study was led by Will Hawkins from the Oxford Internet Institute. He joins Gareth and Ghislaine on the show.    MySQL at 30: The Unsung Hero Powering Facebook, the Web & Your Data - The Database That Quietly Runs the InternetYou’ve probably never heard of it—but your data lives on MySQL. Celebrating its 30th anniversary this year, this open-source database is the invisible backbone of Facebook, countless websites, and nearly every major online service. It’s an open-source success story, which relies on simplicity and speed and it’s easy to set up. We spoke with Peter Zaitsev, who joined MySQL in 2002 and later co-founded Percona, a leading database consultancy.  Next time you log into Facebook or book a flight, remember - there’s a 30-year-old database working behind the scenes. Not bad for a tech "underdog."   The programme is presented by Gareth Mitchell and the studio expert is Ghislaine Boddington. More on this week's stories: Dramatic rise in publicly downloadable deep fake image generators 1995-2025: MySQL at 30!   Production Manager: Liz Tuohy Editor: Ania Lichtarowicz For the PodExtra version of the show please subscribe via this link: https://somewhere-on-earth-the-global-tech-podcast-the-podextra-edition.pod.fan/ Follow us on all the socials: Join our Facebook group Instagram BlueSky   If you like Somewhere on Earth, please rate and review it on Apple Podcasts or Spotify   Contact us by email: [e-mail]  Send us a voice note via WhatsApp: [phone]   Find a Story + Make it News = Change the World Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices