Pokimane and Atrioc address past deepfake controversy

Twitch streamers Imane ‘Pokimane’ and Brandon ‘Atrioc’ have addressed the lingering impact of a 2023 controversy involving paywalled deepfake content of female creators.

During a recent livestream, Pokimane expressed that seeing Atrioc’s name or face causes her “discomfort and anxiety,” triggering a “fight-or-flight” response. She clarified in a post on X that she is not attempting to “cancel anyone,” but is instead sharing how the incident, which involved deepfakes of her specifically, continues to affect her emotionally. She noted feeling “publicly humiliated” by the original event.

Atrioc responded during a livestream, stating that Pokimane’s feelings are “totally valid.” He acknowledged his past actions in January 2023 were “bad” and expressed that he has been attempting to “rebuild” his life and trust following the incident. He added that he does not appreciate being “used as a weapon to attack someone,” while maintaining that he has been focused on his own content and avoiding drama.