LeBron James is taking a stand against AI deepfakes as the Los Angeles Lakers superstar and his legal team have issued cease-and-desist letters to those creating AI-generated fake videos involving him and other well-known figures. This move aims to protect his image from increasingly invasive and damaging content spreading online.
The fast growth of artificial intelligence has introduced a troubling new dimension to public exposure. Even someone as accustomed to public attention and online trolling as James finds these manipulated videos crossing a serious line. Many of these AI-crafted clips depict him in false and humiliating scenarios that endanger his carefully maintained reputation and legacy.
One recent example shows a fabricated video where James appears pregnant, referencing Golden State Warriors’ Steph Curry and Los Angeles Clippers’ James Harden as potential fathers after a staged “birth.” This kind of explicit and misleading content threatens to distort public perception with harmful intent.
While Meta has not publicly confirmed receiving legal notices, the platform has begun removing offensive videos. Reports from 404Media indicated that at least three Instagram accounts connected to these deepfake videos have already been deleted as part of the takedown efforts.
NBA Voices Backing LeBron’s Campaign Against False Content
LeBron’s legal approach has gathered support from NBA insiders, including former players and analysts like Kendrick Perkins and Richard Jefferson. These voices emphasize that the creation of such harmful deepfake content has escalated to an unacceptable degree.
On the Road Trippin’ podcast, Perkins expressed his frustration with the surge of malicious content spread online just to attract attention.
People are just f**king bored, bro,
Perkins said.
Weird, man… You talk about doing things for clicks, this is the prime example.
He added his support for LeBron’s decision to act legally:
If it is true with Bron, you know, and his team sending out those cease and desists and stopping that s**t, I’m all in for it.
Perkins highlighted the importance of protecting one’s name and setting boundaries.
The one thing that you have in this world besides money, you have one name. One name, bro… Somebody got to set the example for a lot of this bulls**t to stop.
Similarly, Richard Jefferson pointed out the broader dangers of unregulated AI use beyond the scope of celebrity culture. He stressed the need to shield athletes and others from harmful digital manipulation.
I just don’t think that that’s always going to be a safe place,
Jefferson remarked, referring to the internet environment.
It’s for athletes, it’s for Cooper Flagg.
He further noted,
It’s for female athletes, and the protections of them to make sure that idiots can’t just be making weird videos and posting them on the internet.
LeBron’s Fight Reflects Wider Concerns Over Synthetic Media Abuse
LeBron James’ proactive stance highlights a larger, urgent issue surrounding synthetic media and its potential for harm. As technology evolves rapidly, existing laws struggle to keep pace with how easily a person’s likeness can be altered or exploited within moments. His actions underscore the critical need for clear legal and ethical boundaries in the digital age.
This fight against AI deepfakes resonates beyond James himself. Popstar Taylor Swift, for instance, recently faced similar challenges when manipulated images appeared on social media depicting her in inappropriate contexts. Although Swift did not publicly pursue legal measures, her reaction drew attention to how profoundly real individuals suffer from such digital distortions.
Swift’s situation also emphasized the risk of synthetic media contributing to forms of revenge pornography and exploitation, revealing the broader societal threat when unregulated AI content harms personal dignity and trust.
LeBron James fights AI deepfakes not only to protect his own legacy but also to set an example in an era where controlling one’s image is increasingly difficult. His legal efforts signal a much-needed warning and a call for stronger protections as deepfake technology becomes more widespread and harder to police.
Our Reader’s Queries
Q. Does LeBron James sleep 12 hours?
A. Professional athletes use much more energy than many people, so they often sleep longer than the suggested 8 hours. LeBron James, for instance, averages 12 hours of sleep each night. This is notable because elite athletes frequently travel for competitions, which makes getting enough rest challenging.