Dolly Parton’s sister has condemned the AI deepfakes circulating in the wake of the beloved American icon’s death.
Stella Parton, 77, addressed fake AI-generated images and videos of her sister in a statement shared to Instagram Friday, where she also thanked fans of the larger-than-life country singer for their “genuine” support.
“Sadly, because of the way our lives have been lived in front of the public, we have no choice but to be subjected to incredible pressure and insensitivity from strangers,” she wrote. “There is a tremendous amount of AI and endless garbage being posted everyday and it’s been challenging to absorb and or ignore.”
“As time passes, those who are in the business of exploiting the loss and tragedies of others on a daily basis will move on to the next stampede of endless misinformation,” she added.
These were Stella Parton’s most extensive comments yet on the online reaction since Dolly Parton died a little more than a week ago following a brief battle with cancer. She was 80.
The younger Parton is a country singer and songwriter in her own right. Stella had several hit songs in the 1970s, including “I Want to Hold You in My Dreams Tonight,” which was released in 1975. She is one of the American icon’s 11 siblings.
“We will be okay in time but each of us will grieve in our own personal way,” she wrote. “Every human being experiences pain and loss in life and my family is no different.”
Stella Parton said that her “big sister Dolly would be surprised and delighted by the love her family and she has been shown during this time.”
“She loved her fans and the public in general,” she wrote. “That is the reason she chose not to express her opinions on a lot of things like politics, religion and individuals in the public eye.”
She asked fans to “show more compassion and wisdom as we move forward in life.”
“Use my sister’s life as an example for tolerance and respect toward others,” she wrote. “It’s not about the most clever comments, fake AI garbage or snarky tweets.”
“At the end of the day or the end of a life, how will you feel about yourself?”
