Girija Oak Godbole reacts to morphed pics surfacing online: ‘I have a 12-year-old son, when he grows up…’

Girija Oak Godbole addresses the issue of AI-morphed images of her, urging creators and consumers to reconsider their impact.

Viral for her blue saree look, Marathi actor Girija Oak Godbole has spoken about her morphed pictures and videos. She took to Instagram to share her videos messages in Hindi, English and Marathi.

While Girija Oak Godbole appreciates the attention for her work, she expresses concern for her son encountering such inappropriate content online in the future.

She began by speaking about all the attention she is suddenly getting. But that has not come without a few bad elements too. “Many of my friends, relatives, and acquaintances have been sending me posts and memes. Some of them are ridiculously funny and very creative, but some are AI-morphed images of me that are not in good taste. They sexualize and objectify me, and it makes me uncomfortable,” she said.

Girija Oak talks about her morphed pics

She added, “I’m someone who lives in this digital age. I use social media myself, so I understand how it works. When something goes viral or starts trending, these kinds of images usually get made and circulated. As long as people are clicking, liking, and engaging, the cycle continues. But what bothers me is that this game has no rules — nothing seems to be off limits.”

Girija is worried about her son coming across such videos in the future. “I have a 12-year-old son. He doesn’t use social media yet, but eventually he will. Once he grows up, he’s going to come across these images. They may be circulating now, but they will remain on the internet forever. These obscene images of his mother are something he will see one day. He’ll know they’re not real — they’re AI-generated, just as everyone who sees them now knows they’re fake — but they still give people a cheap thrill, a kind of titillation. That is scary. I know I can’t do much to stop it, but doing nothing doesn’t feel right either.”

Girija Oak's advice to miscreants

She ended her message with an advice. “So here I am, requesting this: if you are someone who uses AI to morph images of women, men, or anyone into something inappropriate, please think twice. If you don’t create this content but enjoy consuming it, you are also part of the problem. I can only ask you to reconsider. Apart from that, I am also having fun with the sudden attention, and if it leads more people to watch my films, series, or plays, what more could I ask for? I hope you continue to support my work, and I’ll strive to keep giving you good performances. See you in the theaters. Thank you."

Therapy Sherapy, featuring Gulshan Devaiah and Girija Oak Godbole, is an upcoming web series that explores complex human emotions and relationships. The release date has not been announced yet.