The Advertising Standards Authority has prohibited an advertisement for an artificial intelligence video creation application that was deemed to condone the non-consensual digital alteration and exposure of women's bodies. The regulatory body determined that the promotional material caused serious offence and perpetuated harmful gender stereotypes through the objectification and sexualisation of women.
Content of the Controversial Advertisement
The YouTube advertisement for PixVideo – AI Video Maker, which appeared during January, displayed comparative "before" and "after" images featuring a young woman. The initial image showed red scribble covering her midriff area, while the subsequent image revealed her bare skin, including the region beneath her shorts. Text superimposed across the bottom of the visual stated: "Erase anything [heart-eyes emoji]."
Eight individuals submitted formal complaints to the Advertising Standards Authority, asserting that the advertisement sexualised and objectified women while being irresponsible, offensive, and potentially harmful in its messaging.
Company Response and Internal Actions
Saeta Tech Ltd, operating under the trading name PixVideo – AI Video Maker, acknowledged that the advertisement was likely to cause serious offence. The company clarified that concerns pertained specifically to the advertisement's presentation and messaging rather than the intended or permitted functionality of their product.
The firm emphasised that its terms of service explicitly prohibit the creation of nude or sexually explicit content through their platform. Additionally, they highlighted implemented automated artificial intelligence-based detection and blocking systems designed to prevent the generation of exposed or explicit imagery.
Saeta Tech Ltd further stated that the application does not support, and was never designed to enable, the removal of clothing or the creation of nude imagery. The company confirmed it had already removed the controversial advertisement from circulation and voluntarily suspended all advertising activities to conduct what they described as a "comprehensive" internal audit and rectify their marketing approach.
Regulatory Assessment and Final Ruling
The Advertising Standards Authority acknowledged the company's position regarding the application's restrictions on creating explicit content. However, the regulatory body maintained that the advertisement effectively reduced the depicted woman to a sexual object through its visual presentation and implied capabilities.
The ASA elaborated: "Furthermore, because the advertisement implied that viewers could use an application to remove a woman's clothing, we considered it condoned digitally altering and exposing women's bodies without their consent."
While welcoming Saeta Tech's willingness to remove the advertisement, the authority concluded: "For the reasons above, we considered that the advertisement was irresponsible, included a harmful gender stereotype and was likely to cause serious offence."
The Advertising Standards Authority issued a formal ruling prohibiting the advertisement from appearing again. The regulatory body instructed PixVideo – AI Video Maker to ensure future advertisements maintain social responsibility and avoid causing serious or widespread offence, specifically warning against featuring harmful gender stereotypes through the objectification and sexualisation of women.
