In recent years, China has experienced a surge in short dramas, attracting a large audience with episodes lasting only a few minutes, unique themes, and fast pacing. However, a recent short drama named "Reverse Ride" has sparked heated debate and strong dissatisfaction among fans for allegedly using AI technology to replace the facial features of a female character with those of actress Dilraba Dilmurat, which is considered a serious infringement. Fans are urging Dilraba's management company to protect the actress's rights and to take legal action.
The incident started when viewers noticed that in one scene of the drama, a female student in a school uniform appeared, looking significantly different from Dilraba at first. However, as the camera returned to the character, her facial features underwent a noticeable change, appearing unnatural. Viewers pointed out, "This face increasingly resembles Dilraba Dilmurat," suspecting the production team of using AI face-swapping technology to alter the character's face to resemble Dilraba, igniting fan outrage.
In response, many of Dilraba's fans flooded the official Weibo account with comments, criticizing the production team for infringing on the artist's portrait rights and tagging her management company to urge swift legal action: "This is basically stealing a face," "Actors' images are not for you to misuse," "I hope the company doesn't tolerate this behavior, and must sue," escalating the event under public scrutiny and attracting media attention.
According to media reports, the production company of "Reverse Ride" has sold the drama rights to multiple streaming platforms. After some platforms identified the issue, certain vendors have begun to alter the content and remove possibly infringing scenes. Legal experts also point out that if the production team used AI face-swapping without the consent of the involved party, it constitutes an infringement of the party's portrait rights, and they should bear the corresponding legal responsibility.