D*ck pic victim builds AI to track down sick cyber flashers on social media
UNSOLICITED penis pictures may soon be a thing of the past thanks to researchers who are developing software to detect and delete such images sent on social media.
The project was started after one of the researchers received an unexpected and unwanted nude photo from a man.
According to the , Kelsey Bressler and fellow researchers from Washington State University in the US are working on an artificial intelligence system that can detect unwanted d*ck pics sent via private messages on Twitter.
The AI will then delete the images before you even see them.
Bressler told the BBC: "When you receive a photo unsolicited it feels disrespectful and violating.
"It's the virtual equivalent of flashing someone in the street. You're not giving them a chance to consent, you are forcing the image on them, and that is never OK."
In order to test and train their AI system, Bressler and her team set up a Twitter inbox and invited men to send nude photos to it in the name of science.
They soon received so many d*ck pics that they had to close the inbox.
Initial tests were said to be a huge success but the system was tricked by a man wearing a cage over his penis and another covering his in glitter.
The team concluded that the software was very successful at detecting "vanilla" genital photos and nudes.
Bressler told the : "I see the issue come up in my news feed almost daily, but Twitter has not yet shown they care enough to find a solution.
"If this tech could be created in a couple of days, I'm not sure why tech companies have not led similar initiatives.
"People say the easy solution is to close your messages - but we should not have to shut ourselves off to the world because some people do not know how to behave."
Sending unsolicited penis pictures has just been made a crime in Texas and is punishable by a $500 (£405) fine.
However, lots of people think social networks should be doing more to protect users from cyber-flashing.
The US researchers are open to sharing their findings with Twitter once the project is finished.
How big is the d*ck pic problem?
Here's some shocking facts...
- A 2018 YouGov poll found that four in 10 women aged between 18 and 36 have been sent unsolicted penis pictures
- Only 5% of men in this age group admitted to sending one
- Research has found that men who exhibit high levels of narcissism and sexism are more likely to send unsolicted d*ck pics
- There have been reports of men attempting to send d*ck pics via AirDrop in public places, meaning iPhone users have to look at the image before they can click "decline"
- Issues surrounding sexting and sending nudes have increased with the rise of social media
- The FBI has conducted several studies about sexting and unsolicited nudes
- The British government is planning to take action in England and Wales so people can be protected against recieving unwanted pictures of male genitals on their smartphones
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What do you think of this nude-blocking tech? Let us know in the comments...
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