The British government has announced stringent measures to combat the creation and dissemination of sexually explicit "deepfake" content, revealing a new law in progress through the parliamentary process. Deepfakes, which involve the manipulation of images and videos to appear hyper-realistic, particularly target individuals who are often unaware and unable to provide consent. In recent times, there has been a disturbing trend of using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to superimpose the faces of celebrities or public figures, predominantly women, onto pornographic material.
Under the proposed legislation, individuals responsible for producing such content without consent will be subject to prosecution, potentially resulting in a criminal record and an unlimited fine. Moreover, if these deepfake materials are shared further, offenders may face imprisonment.
Laura Farris, UK Minister for Victims and Safeguarding, denounced the creation of deepfake sexual imagery as reprehensible and emphasized its potential for causing irreparable harm, especially if disseminated widely. She stressed the government's unwavering stance against such activities, labeling them as immoral, often misogynistic, and criminal.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak echoed this sentiment, asserting the government's commitment to combatting the perpetrators of sexually explicit deepfakes. He highlighted the introduction of the new law as a significant step in banning the creation of such distressing and abusive content.
This initiative builds upon previous reforms, such as those outlined in the UK's Online Safety Act, which criminalized the sharing of intimate deepfake images. The forthcoming amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill will extend prosecution to individuals who maliciously produce sexually explicit deepfake images of adults without consent, aligning with existing laws concerning images of minors.
Additionally, the Ministry of Justice disclosed that the Bill encompasses various new criminal offenses targeting individuals who capture or distribute intimate images without consent, as well as those who facilitate such actions. The government's reclassification of violence against women and girls as a national threat underscores its commitment to prioritizing the response to such offenses, akin to counteracting terrorism.
Furthermore, the Bill introduces statutory aggravating factors for offenders engaged in abusive sexual behavior resulting in death, as well as for individuals perpetrating violence following the end of a relationship, addressing recommendations from the Domestic Homicide Sentencing Review.
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