Starship Entertainment Apologizes for NSFW Deepfake Incident Involving IVE
Starship Entertainment, the management agency for the popular girl group IVE, has publicly apologized after a staff member erroneously shared an inappropriate deepfake image of group members on their official Weibo account. This incident, which triggered significant backlash from fans, raised serious concerns about the treatment of artists and the responsibilities of management.
Many fans expressed their anger and disappointment after discovering that the agency had reshared deepfake content involving IVE members Jang Won Young and An Yujin. One particular post was regarded as particularly offensive, as it included derogatory terms aimed at An Yujin alongside an NSFW fan-created deepfake, sparking widespread outrage across social media platforms.
Agency’s Response and Accountability Measures
Initially, Starship Entertainment described the incident as an unintentional mistake made by their social media manager, who was attempting to report the offensive material. However, following thorough internal reviews, the agency recognized significant lapses in their content management protocols.
On January 15, Starship Entertainment released a detailed statement addressing the situation, outlining the steps taken to rectify the incident. They confirmed that the employee implicated in the mishap has faced strict disciplinary measures and has been reassigned from all relevant duties. Furthermore, the agency committed to taking legal action against individuals or entities disseminating false and defamatory information regarding their artists.
Statement from Starship Entertainment
We, at Starship Entertainment, would like to offer our sincerest apologies to our artist, An Yujin, and to her fans for the unfortunate incident that occurred on January 9. We deeply regret the distress caused by the mishandling of a China-based social media account by a member of our staff. Upon thoroughly reviewing the situation, we have determined that the incident resulted from a failure in our internal protocols.
As a corrective measure, the staff member involved has been reassigned from all related responsibilities and the most stringent disciplinary actions have been taken. Additionally, we are actively enhancing and refining our internal processes to ensure that similar incidents do not recur.
We deeply regret the harm caused to An Yujin and we are committed to addressing the damages incurred as a result of this incident. To protect all parties involved, we are also taking legal action against individuals who spread false information or engage in defamatory behavior.
Once again, we sincerely apologize to all fans for the disappointment and concerns this incident has caused. Moving forward, we are dedicated to learning from this experience and growing as a more responsible and mature company. We will continue to work diligently to restore your trust and ensure that such an incident does not happen again.
Starship Entertainment’s commitment to change and improvement reflects the increasing importance of digital ethics and responsibilities within the entertainment industry. As artists navigate a rapidly evolving landscape where misinformation can swiftly circulate, management companies must adopt stringent measures to protect their talents’ integrity and public image.
Apology for the violation of artist rights and promise to prevent recurrence pic.twitter.com/RAWLN2hJqJ
— STARSHIP Ent. (@STARSHIPent) January 15, 2025
Read more about this incident here.
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