Itu Bukan Aku dan Bukan Salahku: Studi Fenomenologi Pengalaman Self-Presentation Korban Deepfake Seksual

Abstract

This study aims to understand the phenomenon of self-presentation experiences among deepfake victims whose personal photos were taken and sexually edited without their consent. People of all ages and genders can become targets of sexualized deepfakes, with women being particularly vulnerable. This research employs a qualitative method with a phenomenological approach, gathering data through in depth interviews with three Indonesian female victims. The findings reveal that all participants experienced digital sexual harassment, yet they continued to appear in public without isolating themselves or withdrawing from their social environments, both offline and online. The participants demonstrated active responses to the incidents, positioning themselves not as passive victims. They did not allow their deepfake victimization to define or haunt their identities. Instead, they sought to be perceived as women who were not defeated by the perpetrators or the events they endured. They rejected notions of “victims being at fault due to their clothing” or other forms of victim-blaming. Four sequential themes emerged from the interviews: A Shattering Event, Fighting Back, That Is Not Me and Not My Fault, and Rebuilding Oneself Before the World. The absence of escalation or extreme situations in both offline and online contexts marks a notable difference between this study’s participants and those in previous research. This study opens the door for further research involving a larger number of participants, including male victims, and offers recommendations on the importance of collective awareness regarding deepfake violations and risks, as well as digital literacy education on artificial intelligence (AI), particularly deepfakes.