Digital artists and illustrators are abandoning Elon Musk’s blogging platform X (formerly Twitter) over the introduction of a new controversial image-editing feature powered by artificial intelligence (AI). According to reports, the creators claimed that the new tool could be used to modify others’ works without their consent.
One such popular creator championing the boycott is Mu-jik Park, the renowned South Korean artist known by the pen name Boichi. Boichi is the creator of the hit manga series Dr Stone and Sun-Ken Rock.
89 Comments
baggachipz@sh.itjust.works · 222 pts · 233d
“The Nazis were inconvenient, but the use of GenAI that you find everywhere else is a bridge too far!!”
teft@piefed.social · 142 pts · 233d
AntiBullyRanger@ani.social · 18 pts · 232d
that's my literally face reading all of this.
Tollana1234567@lemmy.today · 5 pts · 232d
i can excuse racism, but i draw the line on AI on X.
Jrockwar@feddit.uk · 66 pts · 233d
Yeah, I'm not going to defend training AI with copyrighted works... But I'm not going to waste energy siding with anyone who was okay with X. If you stayed in X, you'vr made your own bed. Now don't cry because the owner is an AI-pandering nazi, we all knew that already.
Syrc@lemmy.world · 21 pts · 233d
Generally in Japan they don’t see much of Elon’s “prowesses”, so I can kinda understand why artists like him might not have caught wind of the Nazi direction the platform has taken until it actually hit them.
And yes, Ignorantia non excusat, but it’s still something, at least.
tomiant@piefed.social · 22 pts · 233d
For anyone wondering, "Ignorantia non excusat" is Latin, and it means "I speak Latin, and you don't. Suck my balls."
WhiskyTangoFoxtrot@piefed.world · 10 pts · 232d
Quidquid Latine dictum sit altum videtur.
tomiant@piefed.social · 5 pts · 232d
Factum!
AntiBullyRanger@ani.social · 3 pts · 232d
Japanese here. They do know.
They choose to ignore.
Precisely because they sympathize.
Syrc@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 232d
I’m not saying every Japanese person still on there is unaware of that, but the general coverage is MUCH smaller than what you get if you’re in English-speaking spaces.
I also heavily doubt someone of korean origins like Boichi is a Sanseito supporter, but that’s just my guess.
AntiBullyRanger@ani.social · 2 pts · 232d
Sure. But the other artists in the article are English🌐 users.
Japan is addicted to their SNS anyways.
Syrc@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 232d
The ones in the US barely have any excuse, I agree, but it’s better to leave it late than never. Then eventually when Instagram enshittifies under that aspect too they’ll find another platform (hopefully on the fediverse).
AntiBullyRanger@ani.social · 1 pts · 232d
Meta{Insta is as Nazi as it can be.
WhiskyTangoFoxtrot@piefed.world · 13 pts · 232d
It threatens their bottom line. That's all that matters.
Snapz@lemmy.world · 97 pts · 233d
"OH, WELL NOW YOU'VE GONE TOO FAR!!!"
ngdev@lemmy.zip · 28 pts · 232d
i was telling a buddy about that who somehow hadnt seen the salute or heard of it and my other buddy said well obama did that too and mentioned others. where they were stills taken out of a video that looked like the nazi salute. so i just pulled up the video and that was that lol
Snapz@lemmy.world · 26 pts · 232d
Those don't sound like people worth being friends with.
acockworkorange@mander.xyz · 12 pts · 232d
At the very least very high maintenance friendships. I don't know if I'd have the sanity to afford them, but I'm not OP.
ngdev@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 232d
tgcoldrockn@lemmy.world · 79 pts · 233d
leaving x or insta at this point means youre very.... very late to the party.
yesman@lemmy.world · 101 pts · 233d
Debian cut ties in January, so if you quit after that, you're officially slower to change than Debian.
morto@piefed.social · 59 pts · 233d
That's one of the rarest and finest insults I've ever seen
brucethemoose@lemmy.world · 16 pts · 232d
+100
Ubuntu is still on Twitter. You don't want Ubuntu to quit before you do, do you?
FarraigePlaisteach@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 232d
Damn. Disappointed in Ubuntu and I’m not motivated to distro hop. But maybe it’s time to bite the bullet. It’s tricky because I also avoid software hosted on Microsoft services such as GitHub. Ubuntu being hosted on Launchpad helped there.
brucethemoose@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 232d
Gits are backed up and migrated quick, so I'm not as worried about that I suppose.
GhostFish@piefed.social · 1 pts · 231d
Bwahaha. It is a long-term stable decision.
BedSharkPal@lemmy.ca · 25 pts · 233d
It means you're ignorant or morally bankrupt, or at least flexible....
jim_v@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 232d
Misguided, uneducated, oblivious, and downright stubborn are other options. Sunk-cost fallacy can keep people stuck in a loop.
Goodlucksil@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 7 pts · 233d
Better late than never
Get_Off_My_WLAN@fedia.io · 39 pts · 233d
It always bothered me how so many Twitter users in Japan just kept using Xitter after everything Musk has done to it, like they're not even aware. I think the language barrier has been filtering some of it out until now.
But,
Boichi, that's what's been happening with AI to everybody's art this entire time!
pycorax@sh.itjust.works · 2 pts · 232d
There was an uproar last year (or early this year?) and a number of people jumped to Bluesky but it kinda lost steam really quickly.
AntiBullyRanger@ani.social · -1 pts · 232d
they are, scroll🔼
kazerniel@lemmy.world · 39 pts · 233d
who tf still uses Xitter...
flowers_galore2@lemmynsfw.com · 9 pts · 232d
Some companies and government departments in my country use twitter and facebook exclusively for contact and info/news. It’s insane but I have to keep a passive account for this. Especially the government, because we have an official Mastodon server for that. Ughhh.
kazerniel@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 232d
that's just sad (though I do like that they use fediverse, but it shouldn't be the main way of communication)
daannii@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 232d
I literally don't know a single person from real life that uses it.
kazerniel@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 232d
Yeah, I never used it, except to follow links from lemmy/reddit, but even those acquaintances of mine that did use it, gradually stopped since Musk took over, with the last few leaving it around a year ago.
(My vocally pro-LGBT workplace also switched to other platforms bc our engagement noticeably dropped around that time. Either due some Musk-induced algorithm shenanigans or just users leaving in droves.)
Lost_My_Mind@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 233d
Something like 173 million users.
einfach_orangensaft@sh.itjust.works · 13 pts · 233d
minus about 90million bots. then u left with about 80million boomers
ripcord@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 233d
Millions and millions of shitty people.
Syrc@lemmy.world · 37 pts · 233d
Yes, unfortunately Boichi is leaving… for Instagram.
But hopefully this is at least a wake-up call for some artists that they should really consider leaving for platforms with “less malicious intentions”. Maybe one day someone as big as him will decide to go fediverse, we can only hope.
BedSharkPal@lemmy.ca · 24 pts · 233d
Swapping one boot for another...
artifex@piefed.social · 35 pts · 233d
tomiant@piefed.social · 7 pts · 233d
Here, take this, it is dangerous to go alone
\
Credibly_Human@lemmy.world · 34 pts · 232d
In our world of people dismissing any issue that isn't their own, nothing matters, and only the worst people win.
If people didn't leave before this, this or that group getting pissed off won't be the death of it then either.
We don't need everyone to care about everything, but the current paradigm of not only apathy, but actively fighting against other peoples causes because they aren't your own has really doomed us.
Syrc@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 232d
I’m not necessarily saying this is the case for these artists, but the sad truth is the current society is perfectly engineered to make the average worker as apathetic as possible.
You work 8 hours a day not counting commute and meals, which means you’re left with very little free time, and you’re really tired on top of that. Plenty of people choose to spend that time doing things that actually make them happy or relaxed, instead of looking at the state of the world and being even more sad because of learned (or sometimes even actual) helplessness.
Of course, it would be better if they didn’t, but can you really blame them when the system is stacked against us?
(Obviously the whole situation applies to the apathetic/apolitical ones, the “actively fighting against other peoples causes because they aren’t your own” bunch can go fuck themselves)
Credibly_Human@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 231d
Yes, specifically when they use even a tiny bit of that little free time to beat down others who actually try, or when they don't pay attention to the only ways they could possibly lessen the awful situation.
Syrc@lemmy.world · 0 pts · 231d
That’s what I said right after
stylusmobilus@aussie.zone · 3 pts · 232d
So you left the day he took it over as well ay?
Credibly_Human@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 231d
Never had one actually. Like I might have created some temp at some point, but I've never really used it.
Just about the only social media I do is either anonymous, person to person (like discord) or linked in because well... for obvious reasons.
khaleer@sopuli.xyz · 29 pts · 232d
Nah, they will stay there untill the site dissolves itself, some people are beyond repair.
kalleboo@lemmy.world · 13 pts · 232d
Yeah they'll log out in protest, but they'll all be back in a week or so. Happens every time.
NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world · 26 pts · 233d
This specific part is kinda stupid.
Nothing was ever preventing anyone from modifying an artists work. Its incredibly common. No one needs consent to modify anything.
To distrubute something that isn't yours that doesn't fall under fair use, absolutely. But modifying without consent is a joke.
Syrc@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 233d
I think all the uproar is about new Grok functions that allow you to edit with AI and repost (aka distribute) images directly from within Xitter (I’m not sure that this is the case but I’m definitely not going to log in that thing to verify that).
NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 233d
I wasn't going to log in to verify either lol.
Even if that's the case, it will come down to fair use policy which will allow quite a lot.
If the specific instance of sharing isn't fair use and Twitter allows it, then sue them, someone will. Reddit for example though is just littered with modified images and they've been fine. Same with Lemmy.
Edit: If someone starts trying to make money off modified images via Grok, then that becomes a much easier case to win.
inconel@lemmy.ca · 3 pts · 233d
Many artists explicitly state no repost without their permission, requiring proper credits and such. It IS a dick move to AIgen-fed edit while directly interacting author's post; that makes people using the AI feature violating author's will knowingly.
In reality, people don't read artists' comment or bio, when "single button to AIgen and use the art as prompt" exists. It's basically X greenlits anyone to do so against artists' will, and fair use can argue the use of art but never force artists to stay on a platform. That's what's happening. They may have overstayed on a horrible platform blinded by clout they can get there but that is a different story.
brucethemoose@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 232d
They can use it to farm engagement. Is that the same thing?
And yeah, that's the icky part. This is a dream for spammers and "cheap SEO" types who don't really care about copyright law in this context.
NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world · 3 pts · 232d
I wonder how that would go in court, I wonder if it's been tried before? I could see an argument that if that was the intention and how they made money via gained followers, even indirectly, maybe it wouldn't be fair use.
Edit: Like if they gain followers reposting grok modified images, and then they also show sponsored ads to their followers, now they are benefiting commercially by gaining followers via modified grok images. That might not be fair use, assuming the modified item was fair use to begin with otherwise.
4am@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 233d
May I introduce to you, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act
NotMyOldRedditName@lemmy.world · 9 pts · 233d
May I introduce you to Fair Use Doctrine.
https://www.dmca.com/FAQ/What-is-Fair-Use
4am@lemmy.zip · 1 pts · 229d
Hope you have the money to defend against claims in court.
In fact the biggest problem with the DMCA is how easy it is to force an issue to court without penalties for filing fraudulent claims. Most people would have to just roll over and accept the takedown. No one can afford to test fair use against Sony, or Disney, or Nintendo.
the_q@lemmy.zip · 18 pts · 233d
housedogpartyfavor@lemmy.zip · 18 pts · 233d
Honestly I’m floored this is what it takes for some people to leave X. 🤷🏼♂️
Typotyper@sh.itjust.works · 17 pts · 232d
Its OK for AI to edit artist's work because its out there
but its not OK to repair an iPhone, John Deere tractor you own because copyright applies
Kissaki@feddit.org · 16 pts · 232d
Where are they leaving/going to?
BoycottTwitter@lemmy.zip · 16 pts · 232d
Some are moving to Bluesky. After this happened Bluesky experienced a surge in registrations according to https://bskycheck.com/stats.php
Syrc@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 232d
Unfortunately, the two “big names” I know of (Boichi and Kei Urana) are both going to Instagram.
EDIT: it seems at least Kei Urana is on Bluesky too
brucethemoose@lemmy.world · 10 pts · 232d
Sigh
Kissaki@feddit.org · 0 pts · 230d
Thanks; Linking for context https://bsky.app/profile/kei-urana.bsky.social
Looks like Boichi is there (now) too https://bsky.app/profile/boichibetoon.bsky.social
Syrc@lemmy.world · -1 pts · 229d
Oh, good to know, thanks!
weedee@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 232d
https://s3nd.pics/ has a strong focus on artists.
jorymo@lemmy.world · 4 pts · 232d
Haven't heard of that one, but I migrated to Bluesky after the whole "two sieg heils in a row on live television" thing
weedee@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 232d
S3nd is more of an imgur replacement, but the devs are very anti nazi and have been vocal about it after imgur started posting ICE ads. Bluesky is a solid choice as well.
falseWhite@programming.dev · -1 pts · 232d
Imaginary_Stand4909@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 14 pts · 233d
Ugh, I'm so tired of this. I never had twitter in the first place, but I did used to have Instagram and I loved it for all the artists I'd follow on there. But I dropped that a year or two ago (officially deleted my accounts 😤) and just stuck with Tumblr ever since. But so many of my favorite former fanartists just REFUSE to let either service go, despite them very openly stating their new AI policies or worsening ToS policies.
I know Bluesky will turn out the same way as the others, but I've been trying to encourage artists to move to BS and use bridgy fed so I can still see them on Mastodon. Like you'd literally get the visibility of TWO platforms by using bridgy fed rather than sticking with just Insta or just Twitter. And yes, Instagram and Twitter have bigger numbers than BS or the Fediverse, but one day the AI issues will grow too big and you'll lose those numbers anyway when you leave the platform. Plus how many of those numbers are bots anyway?
But it just sucks man. I only have Tumblr and the occasional visit to Pixiv as my source of fanart. Mastodon and Pixelfed are just lacking, or make it very hard to find the artists I'm looking for (and I literally joined Pixelfed.art!). I've tried following hashtags but it's a little dry...
Syrc@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 233d
Absolute facts. Also it’s one thing when it’s fanartists which just do that as a past time, but actual artists should have a dedicated team and it really shouldn’t be hard to crosspost on multiple platforms, should it…?
It’s just free visibility that they’re ignoring, definitely a huge head scratcher.
tgcoldrockn@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 233d
now thats some rich ass gatekeeping. AcTuAL arTISts sHOuld have dedicateD TeaMs? Get a clue drawers, painters, guitar players, singers, sculptors, etc. etc. who DON'T have a dedicated team to run your socials.
Syrc@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 233d
“Actual artists” as opposed to “fanartists”, in the sense of “people who are under contract and are hired to do art as a job”.
Of course I’m not saying people who don’t have a team aren’t “real artists”, it was just a way to differentiate fanartists from people like Boichi, I didn’t mean to sound gatekeeping.
tgcoldrockn@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 233d
Fair enough but still - Actual artists are not always under contract and hired to do art as a job. Many many amazing artists get little or no compensation for their efforts.
Syrc@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 233d
I know, I just couldn’t find a better term to distinguish the two. I’m sorry if that sounded diminishing to them, it was definitely not my intention.
StitchInTime@piefed.social · 13 pts · 233d
If they’re leaving X now, they’ll probably be back. Everyone who actually wanted to leave on moral grounds probably left at least a year ago.
MrSulu@lemmy.ml · 13 pts · 232d
Not an artist, but like to brag that Idumped that shitshow before is was known as X.
winkerjadams@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 9 pts · 232d
If we are bragging about that, I never went on it to having with.
SoGrumpy@lemmy.ml · 5 pts · 232d
Never opened an account - no matter the name.
Doomsider@lemmy.world · 5 pts · 233d
If the platform formerly known as Twitter didn't die when it killed itself, it ain't going to die from this. Zombie Twitter will live on.
Syrc@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 233d
Ehh… it’s one of the biggest platforms in Japan, and if it starts pissing off that fanbase it’s not a good look. Definitely won’t “die” either, but it might be a considerable hit (and hopefully boost for the Fediverse, or at least Bluesky).
khaleer@sopuli.xyz · 4 pts · 232d
FROM THE LAST MINUTE
Artists can't wait to leave one sunken boat, for another, a little less sunken one.
MonkderVierte@lemmy.zip · 3 pts · 233d
A US judge can't give you a free pass to use copyrighted work of non-US artists.
pelespirit@sh.itjust.works · 10 pts · 233d
Foreign artist's copyright are stolen all the time in the US. If it can't be litigated or enforced, it doesn't really exist.
sturmblast@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 232d
Articles titled like this and always crap
Syrc@lemmy.world · 2 pts · 232d
Yeah, unfortunately this was the best article I could find in English, better than nothing I guess.