CivitAI Implements Major Policy Changes Amid Payment Processor Pressure
CivitAI, widely regarded as one of the internet’s leading AI model repositories, has responded to increasing pressure from payment giants MasterCard and Visa by overhauling its policies regarding NSFW content. This includes significant revisions to its terms of service concerning celebrity LoRAs, a popular feature that allows users to create AI depictions of famous individuals using freely available models.
Responding to Payment Processor Concerns
During a recent Twitch livestream, Alasdair Nicoll, CivitAI’s Community Engagement Manager and a creator of SFW content on the platform, shared that the changes were driven by the concerns of payment processors about adult content and the portrayal of real people. He indicated that Visa and MasterCard are likely to push for even stricter measures in the future:
“These are not changes that we wanted to make… Payment processors are spooked; they don’t want to be sued, and they’re ultimately driving these changes.”
Impact on Content Accessibility
CivitAI has recently experienced intermittent downtime for system revisions. Although NSFW themes in celebrity LoRAs had previously been banned, navigating the model section now makes it virtually impossible to view celebrity LoRA previews alongside a significant number of generic NSFW models.
The official announcement confirmed that:
“Content tagged with real person names (like ‘Tom Cruise’) or flagged as POI (real-person) resources will be hidden from feeds.”
New Safeguards for Real Individuals
To enhance protections for public figures, CivitAI has long allowed real individuals to request the removal of AI models depicting them. The platform is now implementing a new system that prevents the re-upload of rejected images, even those of previously unrecognized individuals. This enhancement will involve a partnership with Clavata, a leading AI moderation system.
Balancing Legal Pressure and User Expectation
The actions taken by CivitAI have sparked controversies around celebrity likenesses and AI-generated content. Creator Nicoll acknowledged the limitations imposed on the platform:
“They won’t stop here; they’ll keep demanding more and more.”
Future Directions for CivitAI
Although CivitAI has begun enforcing new rules, the community is still looking for ways to preserve LoRAs that may be removed or banned. Recent initiatives, such as the ’emergency repository’ for LoRAs at Hugging Face, indicate a desire to maintain access to the content even amid increasing restrictions.
Revised Guidelines Summary
- Content tagged with real individuals’ names will no longer appear in public feeds.
- X and XXX rated content lacking generation metadata will be flagged and hidden from public view.
- Images created via the BYOI feature must have a minimum 50% alteration to reduce deepfake potential.
- Celebrity-related searches will yield no results for X or XXX content.
- A new moderation system is being installed to enhance content oversight.
As CivitAI navigates this new landscape, the balance between compliance and user creativity will be critical. The future remains uncertain, but it is clear that evolving legal frameworks and market pressures will shape the platform in the months and years to come.
Here are five FAQs regarding CivitAI’s tightening of deepfake rules in response to pressure from Mastercard and Visa:
FAQ 1: What prompted CivitAI to tighten its deepfake rules?
Answer: CivitAI tightened its deepfake rules after receiving pressure from major payment processors, Mastercard and Visa. These companies expressed concerns about the potential misuse of deepfake technology and the associated risks, which prompted CivitAI to enhance its policies to promote responsible use.
FAQ 2: What specific changes has CivitAI made to its deepfake policies?
Answer: CivitAI has implemented stricter guidelines regarding the creation and distribution of deepfake content. This includes enhanced verification processes, stricter moderation of user-generated content, and the potential banning of accounts that violate these policies.
FAQ 3: How will these new rules affect users of CivitAI?
Answer: Users of CivitAI will now be subject to more stringent guidelines when creating or sharing deepfake content. This means they may need to provide additional verification and comply with new usage norms to ensure that their content adheres to the updated policies.
FAQ 4: What are the potential penalties for violating the new deepfake rules?
Answer: Users who violate the new deepfake rules may face various penalties, including content removal, account suspension, or a complete ban from the platform. CivitAI aims to create a safer environment and will enforce consequences for any misuse.
FAQ 5: Why is the involvement of Mastercard and Visa significant in this context?
Answer: The involvement of Mastercard and Visa is significant because as major payment processors, they hold considerable influence over online transaction environments. Their concerns about deepfake technology affecting trust and security in digital transactions have a substantial impact on how companies like CivitAI approach content moderation and policy enforcement.