What happened

Reddit user "deepfakes" created and shared a pornographic video featuring Gal Gadot's face superimposed onto a performer’s body using artificial intelligence. Though fake, the video was convincing enough to mislead casual viewers and was  widely circulated online. 

Why it happened

While the motivation for producing the video remains unclear, its creation stemmed from the increasing ease of use, realism and accessibility of deepfake technology.

Despite its growing misuse, there is limited regulation or accountability for creators of harmful deepfakes.