A website claiming to use artificial intelligence to estimate women’s sexual history based on their Instagram profiles has sparked widespread criticism and raised concerns about privacy and misogyny.
The site, called “Check Her Body Count,” went viral after an X user shared an advertisement for it, claiming it could “brutally estimate” a woman’s “body count,” a term used to describe the number of sexual partners a person has had.
Experts and commentators have condemned the tool as inaccurate and harmful, emphasizing the dangers of digital sexual surveillance and the broader implications for women’s privacy in the age of AI.
How the website claims to work and its actual function
The website invites users to paste an Instagram URL and then produces an “estimate” of the person’s sexual partners by analysing followers, posts, and stories. However, investigations reveal it does not actually connect to Instagram or use any real data.
Developer Cappy Ishihara explained on X that the site simply checks if the URL is valid, then generates a random number locally in the user’s browser. The number is cached and reused for subsequent visits, meaning no real analysis or AI is involved.
Mashable tested the site and found it produced illogical results, such as reporting more male followers than the total number of followers on an Instagram account.
Why the site raises concerns beyond accuracy
Although the website’s output is fabricated, experts warn that the concept itself perpetuates harmful misogynistic ideas by promoting the notion that women’s sexual histories can be publicly scored and judged.
Dr. Mathilde Pavis, head of legal at OpenOrigins and an AI regulation expert, described the premise as “absurd and dangerous” in an interview with Newsweek.
“The notion that a woman’s number of sexual partners can be inferred from her appearance or social media presence is fundamentally baseless. It is digital harassment, not science or ‘a bit of fun.’ Even if this particular tool generated random outputs, the concept reflects a deeper cultural logic: that women’s bodies and private lives are subject to algorithmic judgment, sexual scoring and public evaluation.”
She further explained that false sexual claims online can cause significant harm, as online audiences may not distinguish between fabricated and real information, leading to reputational damage and emotional distress.
The issue is particularly relevant in Canada, where digital privacy laws and protections against online harassment are evolving, but concerns remain about how AI technologies may be used to intensify gender-based discrimination.
Public and expert reaction to the tool
The website’s anonymity and lack of transparency about its creators have added to public unease. Social media users have criticized the site for promoting sexual shaming and misogyny.
Callum Hood, head of research at the Centre for Countering Digital Hate, linked the trend to wider online communities that promote anti-feminist ideas and sexual double standards.
“Misogynist influencers are using ‘body counts’ as a new way of shaming women who have had multiple sexual partners,” Hood said. “These ideas are being amplified by social media algorithms and reaching younger audiences than ever before.”
The site’s viral spread on platforms like X, Threads and Instagram highlights ongoing challenges in moderating harmful content and protecting individuals from digital abuse in Canada and globally.
Experts emphasize the need for stronger policies to address digital harassment and the misuse of AI technologies that can perpetuate gender-based violence and discrimination.
