UK criminalizes creation of sexually explicit deepfake images

TThe UK will criminalize the creation of sexually explicit deepfake images as part of plans to combat violence against women.

People convicted of creating such deepfakes without consent, even if they did not intend to share the images, will face prosecution and an unlimited fine under a new law, the Justice Ministry said in a statement. Sharing the images could also result in arrest.

Rapid developments in artificial intelligence have led to the increase in the creation and dissemination of deepfake images and videos. The UK has classified violence against women and girls as a national threat, meaning police must prioritize tackling it, and this law is designed to help them crack down on a practice that is increasingly used to humiliate or distress victims.

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“This new crime sends a clear message that producing this material is immoral, often misogynistic and a crime,” Laura Farris, Minister for Victims and Safeguarding, said in a statement.

The government is also introducing new criminal offenses for people who take or record real intimate images without consent, or who install equipment that allows someone to do so. A new legal aggravating factor will be introduced for offenders who cause death through abusive, degrading or dangerous sexual behavior.