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UK confirms plans to criminalize the creation of sexually explicit deepfake content
The United Kingdom government has announced its intention to make the creation of sexually explicit “deepfake” images a specific criminal offence. The move is aimed at tackling online abuse and violence against women, with the government stating that such content disproportionately impacts women.
Deepfakes refer to manipulated media, often video or audio, created using artificial intelligence (AI) to make someone appear as if they are saying or doing something they did not. The U.K. had previously made sharing, and the threat of sharing, sexually explicit deepfake content an offence through the Online Safety Act that came into force last year. However, the act only criminalized the sharing of such material and not its creation.
The new plans would see the government expand existing laws around the taking of intimate images without consent, which currently apply to specific situations such as upskirting. The proposed changes aim to cover a broader range of scenarios, including the installation of equipment, such as hidden cameras, for the purpose of taking explicit images or videos without permission.
The U.K. government has stated that it will include these changes in its upcoming Crime and Policing Bill, which will be introduced “when parliamentary time allows.”
Source: techcrunch.com
