The UK government is preparing to criminalize the creation of sexually explicit deepfake images.
What happened: The proposed law will prosecute and fine people found guilty of creating such deepfakes without consent, regardless of their intent to share the images. Distribution of the images could lead to prison terms, Bloomberg reported.
The Ministry of Justice attributes the rise of deepfake images and videos to rapid advances in artificial intelligence. The United Kingdom has classified violence against women and girls as a national threat, prompting police to prioritize its prevention. This new law is part of efforts to curb practices that are increasingly used to humiliate or distress victims.
The Minister for Victims and Protection, Laura Farrissaid: “This new crime sends a very clear message that producing this material is immoral, often misogynistic and a crime.”
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The Government is also introducing new criminal offenses for those who take or record real intimate images without consent, or install equipment to enable someone to do so.
An additional statutory aggravation will be introduced for offenders who cause death through abusive, degrading or dangerous sexual behaviour.
Because matter: The misuse of deepfake technology is a growing concern around the world. In February, a corporate scam involving deepfake technology led to the theft of $25 million. The same month, Meta platforms was asked to review its deepfake rules after a controversial video of the president Joe Biden it was deemed not to violate current company regulations.
In March, the rise of deepfake videos in Asia raised alarms about potential election interference. At the beginning of the year, Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadellaexpressed concern over the AI-generated explicit images of the pop star Taylor Swiftdescribing the situation as “alarming and terrible”.
The UK’s move to criminalize the creation of intimate deepfake images is a significant step in tackling the misuse of this technology.
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