Digital Violence, Deepfakes, and the Chilling Effect on Women in Public Political Life

African Journal of Gender and Women Studies | Vol. 11, No. 10, October 2026 | pp. 43–56

DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001318

Article Type: Research Article

Title: Digital Violence, Deepfakes, and the Chilling Effect on Women in Public Political Life

Names of Author: Oluwaseun Babalola¹, Sofia Castellanos², & Min-Jae Kim³

Author's Affiliation: ¹Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos, Lagos, Nigeria; ²Faculty of Communication and Language, Pontifical Javeriana University, Bogotá, Colombia; ³Department of Media and Communication, Yonsei University, Seoul, South Korea.

Abstract:
The proliferation of generative artificial intelligence and synthetic media has escalated technology-facilitated gender-based violence against female politicians, journalists, and human rights defenders worldwide. Non-consensual sexualized deepfakes, coordinated doxxing campaigns, and algorithmic amplification of misogynistic hate speech are increasingly weaponized to discredit women’s public credibility and deter female political participation. Despite growing awareness of online abuse, technology platforms and national legal frameworks remain poorly equipped to provide timely redress or hold perpetrators accountable. This paper investigates the political and psychological impacts of AI-generated digital violence on female public figures in Nigeria, Colombia, and South Korea. Anchored in feminist media studies and digital human rights frameworks, the research combines computational analysis of online harassment trends with confidential interviews involving 36 female politicians and journalists. The findings underscore the urgent need for platform liability laws and survivor-centered digital safety protocols.

Keywords: Technology-facilitated violence, deepfakes, women in politics, digital human rights, feminist media studies, online harassment, artificial intelligence, democracy

Manuscript Timeline: Received: August 10, 2026; Revised: September 12, 2026; Accepted: September 16, 2026; Published: October 15, 2026.

Citation: Babalola, O., Castellanos, S., & Kim, M.-J. (2026). Digital Violence, Deepfakes, and the Chilling Effect on Women in Public Political Life. African Journal of Gender and Women Studies, 11(10), 43–56. DOI: 10.46882/2026/AJGWS/001318

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