What Is Morphed Imagery?

Morphing differs from simple photo manipulation in that it blends features from multiple images rather than doing a clean compositing. In the NCII context, morphing typically involves blending a victim's facial features into an intimate image to create a depiction that resembles the victim while being technically synthetic. Courts in child protection contexts have long recognized morphed imagery of minors as CSAM. The TAKE IT DOWN Act extends similar protection to adult victims — morphed intimate imagery of an identifiable real person is covered regardless of what percentage of the image is authentic.

Key facts about this term

1. Morphed imagery is explicitly covered by the TAKE IT DOWN Act Congress included morphed imagery in the statutory definition to prevent a technical defense that a partially synthetic image is not a 'real' intimate image of the victim.
2. The standard is whether the victim is identifiable If a reasonable person would identify the morphed image as depicting a specific real individual, it falls within the TAKE IT DOWN Act's coverage, even if significant portions are synthetic.
3. Forensic analysis can identify morphed images Morphed images often contain inconsistencies in lighting, skin texture, and biometric geometry that forensic analysis can detect. ScanErase's biometric matching identifies the victim's face regardless of morphing.