Singapore Actress Eswari Gunasagar Targeted by AI-Generated Fake Images
Source: CNA Lifestyle
Singaporean actress and TV host Eswari Gunasagar has spoken out after AI-generated fake images of her were posted on Facebook, highlighting the growing threat of non-consensual AI deepfakes targeting women and the victim-blaming that often follows.
Singaporean actress and TV host Eswari Gunasagar has spoken out after becoming the target of AI-generated fake images, highlighting the growing threat of non-consensual deepfake imagery and the victim-blaming that frequently follows such incidents. The 36-year-old Ah Girls Go Army actress said a man used artificial intelligence to create a fake image of the pair together on a beach, depicting her in a bikini — despite her never having uploaded such photos online.
Gunasagar reported the initial post to Facebook and the man removed it after she threatened a police report. But the following day, the man posted again, this time falsely claiming she was his wife and including a caption expressing a desire to sexually assault her. Gunasagar lodged a police report, and followers helped get the account removed within three hours. But the experience exposed a deeper problem: some social media users, including other women, blamed her for the incident.
“The problem isn’t just technology. It’s the lack of empathy, the ignorance and the willingness to excuse such harmful behaviour just because it’s not happening to you,” Gunasagar said in an Instagram video. “The moment we laugh at victims instead of standing up for them, we become part of the problem.” Her case comes amid growing concern over AI-generated intimate images, which have become an increasingly common form of technology-facilitated sexual abuse globally and in Singapore.
Singapore has seen a surge in deepfake-related incidents over the past year, with scam syndicates using AI-generated videos and images to impersonate public figures and extort victims. The Government has responded with stricter penalties under the Online Criminal Harms Act, but cases like Gunasagar’s underscore a dimension that legislation alone cannot address — the social stigma and victim-blaming that compounds the harm of the initial AI-enabled violation.
Why it matters for Singapore: As AI image generation tools become cheaper and more accessible, the number of Singaporeans targeted by non-consensual deepfakes will likely rise. Gunasagar’s case is a reminder that the damage extends beyond the fake image itself to the harassment and victim-blaming that follows, and that public attitudes need to evolve alongside the technology.