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Government to Ban Creation of Sexually Explicit Deepfakes

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The British government has unveiled plans to criminalize the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes, introducing penalties of up to two years in prison for offenders.

This announcement builds on amendments to the Sexual Offences Act 2003 under the Online Safety Act 2023, which already prohibits sharing or threatening to share intimate images, including deepfakes. The new legislation aims to address the root of the problem by criminalizing the creation of these images, as well as the taking or recording of intimate photos or videos without consent—regardless of intent, whether for sexual gratification or to cause alarm, distress, or humiliation.

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Victims minister Alex Davies-Jones condemned the growing trend of online abuse, particularly against women. “It is unacceptable that one in three women have been victims of online abuse. This demeaning and disgusting form of chauvinism must not become normalized,” she said. “As part of our Plan for Change, we are bearing down on violence against women—whatever form it takes. These new offenses will help prevent people being victimized online. We are putting offenders on notice—they will face the full force of the law.

Rise of Deepfake Exploitation

The rise of AI-generated sexually explicit images has become a serious concern, often linked to cyberbullying and online extortion. In 2023, the FBI highlighted a surge in digital sextortion attempts, where benign images or videos were manipulated by malicious actors using content scraped from social media and public platforms.

The advent of generative AI tools has exacerbated the issue, lowering the barrier for potential offenders. These tools are often free to use and produce increasingly realistic results, enabling cybercriminals to exploit victims with minimal effort.

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Challenges in Enforcement

While the new laws aim to curb deepfake-related crimes, cybersecurity experts remain skeptical about their effectiveness. Jake Moore, global cybersecurity advisor at ESET, warned of significant challenges for law enforcement.

Deepfake technology is improving at a tremendous rate, and the police have a difficult time ahead as deepfakes can be incredibly difficult to assign a creator,” Moore stated. “Many unethical AI services operate on the dark web or through encrypted communication apps, making detection and attribution even harder.”

As the UK takes this proactive step, the debate continues about whether legislation alone can deter offenders in an era where technology often outpaces the law.

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