Study Identifies Key Infrastructure Providers Supporting Deepfake Sites

A recent study identified 400 URLs linked to 88 sites actively hosting non-consensual intimate imagery over a six-week period from February to March 2023. The research highlights five dominant infrastructure providers: Cloudflare, Google, Namecheap, WordPress, and Proton, which facilitate these sites by providing essential services such as domain registration, SSL certificates, and hosting.

Hany Farid, a professor at Dartmouth College, emphasized the role of these providers in enabling the proliferation of deepfake content, which first emerged in 2017. Notably, Cloudflare has a history of dropping controversial sites, including 8chan in 2019 and Kiwifarms in 2022, but continues to provide services to sites hosting non-consensual imagery, prompting victims from Girls Do Porn to demand action in 2023.

Google has faced scrutiny for supplying SSL certificates and advertising space to these sites, with a spokesperson acknowledging the difficulty in investigating claims without specific domain information. Meanwhile, Proton has previously assisted law enforcement, providing information to Spanish police regarding a pseudonymous activist in 2024.

WordPress, operated by Automattic, hosts millions of sites, including those involved in non-consensual imagery. A spokesperson stated their commitment to addressing these issues, while Sarah Morgan, project coordinator for Sophie Nightingale’s fellowship, called for infrastructure providers to collaborate with NGOs and governments to mitigate the distribution of such content.

This study underscores the urgent need for accountability among internet infrastructure providers, as their services are integral to the operation of harmful sites. The findings may influence future policies and practices regarding the hosting and management of online content.