Midjourney AI users found a workaround after banning images of the Chinese President.
Midjourney took action last week to prevent the proliferation of deepfakes created on its platform by disabling access to its free trial. While the platform still allows the creation of images featuring world leaders, Chinese President Xi Jinping has been specifically excluded.
Banned Words Are Not Limited To China
A user of Midjourney AI shared on Twitter: “If you prompt the full URL of an existing photo of Xi, it is still possible to act on the image. Or you can use /blend with the existing photo”.
Sarah McLaughlin, a senior academic at the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), made some comments on the subject. McLaughlin argued that the ban constitutes a form of censorship and undermines fundamental principles of freedom of expression.
David Holz, the founder and CEO of Midjourney, announced that they received many complaints on Discord last year, so they blocked a lot of words.
While Holz noted that the banned words are not only linked to China, he acknowledged that China is a particularly sensitive topic as political humor can put Chinese users at risk. Holz used the following statements in his statement about the decision: “There was no financial gain behind our decision. It is clear that giving Chinese individuals access to this technology is a huge win for us.”
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