UK Govt To Criminalise Nonconsensual Deepfakes: What To Know

The UK government is set to crack down on the creation and sharing of nonconsensual sexually explicit 'deepfakes' as part of its broader mission to combat online abuse and make public spaces safer. This comes in response to the alarming increase in hyper-realistic, digitally manipulated images that cause significant harm, particularly to women and girls.

UK To Introduce Criminal Offence For Nonconsensual Deepfake Images

To address this issue, the government will introduce a new offence that will allow perpetrators to be charged for creating and distributing these non-consensual images. This measure aims to send a clear message that there is no excuse for producing such harmful content. 

Victims Minister Alex Davies Jones emphasised the seriousness of the issue, stating, "It is unacceptable that one in three women have been victims of online abuse. This demeaning and disgusting form of chauvinism must not become normalised, and as part of our Plan for Change, we are bearing down on violence against women, whatever form it takes."

Alongside targeting deepfakes, the government plans to introduce new offenses for taking intimate images without consent and installing equipment with the intent to commit these acts. These new offences will aim to curb the rising trend of intimate image abuse and hold offenders accountable. Alex Davie Jones added, "These new offences will help prevent people being victimised online. We are putting offenders on notice, they will face the full force of the law."

Currently, the law only addresses certain non-consensual image-taking practices, such as upskirting. Under the new legislation, anyone who takes an intimate image without consent could face up to two years in prison. Additionally, those who install equipment to facilitate the non-consensual taking of intimate images could also face a similar sentence.

This legislative move aligns with the government’s manifesto commitment to ban sexually explicit deepfakes and follows recommendations from the Law Commission regarding intimate image abuse. Baroness Jones, Technology Minister, highlighted the broader impact of intimate image abuse, stating, "The rise of intimate image abuse is a horrifying trend that exploits victims and perpetuates a toxic online culture. These acts are not just cowardly; they are deeply damaging, particularly for women and girls who are disproportionately targeted."

Baroness Jones also called on tech companies to take greater responsibility in preventing the spread of such content. "With these new measures, we’re sending an unequivocal message, creating or sharing these vile images is not only unacceptable but criminal. Tech companies need to step up too, platforms hosting this content will face tougher scrutiny and significant penalties," she said.