After her likeness was used in a now-viral video which featured celebrities condemning Kanye West’s Antisemitism without her knowledge and consent, Black Widow actor Scarlett Johansson has called on the US government to explore legislation into artificial intelligence (AI) and deepfakes as a “top priority.”

The controversial video features Jewish celebrities such as Lisa Kudrow, Drake, Jack Black, Ben Stiller, Mila Kunis, Steven Spielberg and Johansson wearing white T-shirts featuring the Star of David inside a hand sticking up its middle finger. Above the sketch, the name ‘Kanye’ is written.

The clip ends with an AI version of Adam Sandler sticking his middle finger up at the camera and the words: “Enough is enough. Join the fight to end Antisemitism.”

Legendary Jewish celebrities tell Kanye West to F-off.

In an AI-generated video, Jewish celebrities – from Scarlett Johansson to Adam Sandler – give Kanye the middle finger.

This video is a direct rejection of the rapper’s antisemitism.

Watch it! pic.twitter.com/uU4jc1hrBy

— David Saranga (@DavidSaranga) February 12, 2025

The video was presumably in response to a slew of offensive posts the 47-year-old rapper made on his X account about the Jewish community.

The rapper tweeted shocking statements such as “I love Hitler” and “I’m a Nazi.”

He also wrote: “I’m never apologising for my Jewish comments. I can say whatever the f*ck I wanna say forever. Where’s my f*cking apology for freezing my accounts.”

West, or Ye as he prefers to be called, also noted that Jewish people “don’t run me no more.” In one post, he wrote: “Some of my best friends are Jewish and I don’t trust any of them,” followed by a laughing crying emoji.

Yet, the posts were definitely no laughing matter. They became the subject of a heated public debate about the lack of moderation for hate speech, and how the bounds of free speech, in general, have shifted.

The fact that his comments weren’t immediately removed from the platform shows how the lines have increasingly been pushed into what was considered taboo territory only a couple of years ago.

So, while the AI video might have been a well-intended rejection of outright hatred and derogatory speech, it was still fabricated endorsements by celebrities who had not consented to be involved in this campaign.

“I am a Jewish woman who has no tolerance for antisemitism or hate speech of any kind. But I also firmly believe that the potential for hate speech multiplied by AI is a far greater threat than any one person who takes accountability for it,” the actor expressed to Variety.

“I have unfortunately been a very public victim of AI,” Johansson continued, calling to mind how a recent Channel 4 documentary fabricated a deepfake image of her. In 2023, she also took legal action against an AI app that used her name and likeness in an online advertisement without permission.

“[B]ut the truth is that the threat of AI affects each and every one of us. There is a 1000-foot wave coming regarding AI that several progressive countries, not including the United States, have responded to in a responsible manner. It is terrifying that the US government is paralysed when it comes to passing legislation that protects all of its citizens against the imminent dangers of AI.”

The actor concluded by writing: “I urge the US government to make the passing of legislation limiting AI use a top priority; it is a bipartisan issue that enormously affects the immediate future of humanity at large.”

The actor’s comments stressed the importance of confronting the growing misuse of AI technology, especially as the boundaries between free speech and permitted hate speech become increasingly blurred.