These days, most of us live online, sharing smiling selfies without a second thought. But in the wrong hands, innocent photos can be distorted for a much darker purpose.
People are using artificial intelligence to turn these harmless photos and videos into sick sex tapes and images – so-called “deepfakes”. These vile clips are increasingly realistic and can be shared with millions of people at the click of a button.
They may be false, but the harm and anguish for victims is very real and it is almost always women who bear the brunt. Worryingly, it’s a growing problem – one study estimated a massive 550% increase in this horrible content over the last 5 years.
These deepfakes are not something to laugh at or a game gone too far. They are an attack on women and harmful to society. This government is saying enough is enough.
Today, MPs are debating our plans to make the creation of these images an offence. This means that anyone who deliberately takes a sexually explicit ‘deepfake’ photograph or video of someone without their consent, and becomes sickened by it, could face a criminal record and an unlimited fine.
This will be based on the offenses we have already placed on the booksmeaning that if these horrific images are shared, the perpetrator could face prison time.
We are sending a clear message that this abuse will not be tolerated. And, just days after we defined our intention to create this new crime, two of the biggest deepfake porn sites started blocking people trying to access them from the UK.
This Government is putting women’s safety first. We ban other disgusting crimes, including ‘revenge porn’, ‘cyber-flashing’, ‘upskirting’ and taking photos of women breast-feeding without your consent.
No woman should live in fear of her image being manipulated for someone else’s twisted ends. We’re calling time on degrading deepfakes — and their cruel creators should fear the consequences.
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