Artificial Intelligence and Spaceless Violence Against Women: A Case Study of Lil Miquela

• In Event: Gendered Violence

Abstract

There is now a large feminist literature on what Australian scholar Bridget Harris defines as spaceless violence against women. Major examples are technology-facilitated stalking and image-based sexual abuse that can target women anywhere they use electronic devices like smartphones or tablets. However, it is not only human beings who are the targets of online misogyny and other harmful patriarchal behaviors. As artificial intelligence (AI) rapidly develops, we are now seeing assaults on lifelike computer generated female social media influencers that closely resemble what occurs in real-world abusive relationships. The main objective of this paper is to present the results of an in-depth case study of cyber attacks on Lil Miquela, an internationally popular AI virtual influencer.

Authors

• Gail A. Caputo, Rutgers University

• Walter DeKeseredy, West Virginia University