About the study
We are conducting research to understand how deepfake technologies are transforming the realities of sex work. This includes both the harms (image-based abuse, consent violations, and exploitation) and the opportunities, where sex workers may be using or experimenting with these tools in their own creative or professional practices. This research is part of a growing conversation about the relationship between technology, labour, and digital rights. As AI becomes increasingly capable of replicating human likeness and behaviour, sex workers, whose images, voices, and identities are often at the forefront of online innovation, are among the first to experience both the risks and possibilities of these technologies.
Why this research matters
Deepfake and AI-generated sexual content have raised urgent questions around consent, intellectual property, and digital autonomy. Yet most current debates focus on celebrities, public figures, or general internet users, rarely centring sex workers, who have long been navigating the intersection of technology, sexuality, and surveillance.
By speaking directly with sex workers, we aim to fill key gaps in understanding:
● How AI and deepfake technologies are impacting sex workers’ safety, privacy, and livelihoods.
● What forms of harm, control, and exploitation are emerging in the digital economy.
● How sex workers are innovating, using or adapting these tools for their own work, creative expression, or financial independence.
● What kinds of legal, technical, and policy protections are needed to ensure sex workers’ rights are respected in AI-driven environments.
Your participation will help build evidence that can inform advocacy, technology design, and policy at both European and global levels.
Who we're looking for
We’re inviting current sex workers who are:
● 18 years or older
● Based in Europe or Central Asia (including the UK)
● Have experienced deepfake-related harm or have used AI-generated media tools in their work to their benefit
Interview length: about 1 hour
Compensation: € 30
If you’re interested, please fill out this short survey, and we will contact you.
About ESWA
This project is led by ESWA – the European Sex Workers’ Rights Alliance, a regional network representing more than 100 organisations in 30 countries across Europe and Central Asia. ESWA advocates for the human, labour, and digital rights of sex workers, working to ensure that policies and technologies affecting the sex industry are informed by those most directly impacted. We collaborate with sex workers to ensure that future conversations about AI and digital policy centre sex workers’ voices, expertise, and autonomy.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Your support means the world to us!
