Britain is set to introduce criminal charges for those who create and share sexually explicit deepfake images in an effort to better protect women and girls, a minister announced on Tuesday.
The government also plans to make it an offence to take intimate images without consent or to install equipment for that purpose, with offenders facing up to two years in prison, according to the Ministry of Justice.
While it is already illegal in the UK to share or threaten to share intimate images, including deepfakes, current laws only make it an offence to create such images without consent in specific cases, like upskirting. Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones acknowledged that “there are current gaps” in the law that the government aims to address.
“We’re strengthening the law to better protect women and girls,” Davies-Jones told Sky News, adding that one in three women in the UK have been affected by intimate images being made or shared in so-called “revenge porn” attacks. “It’s awful. It’s horrific. It really makes women vulnerable, intimidates them, and those who commit these crimes deserve to face the full force of the law.”
The Ministry of Justice highlighted the alarming rise of “hyper-realistic” deepfakes, which have caused significant harm to victims. Deepfakes are AI-generated or manipulated images that feature real people.
Experts warn that the spread of non-consensual deepfakes online is advancing faster than regulatory efforts, with a surge of inexpensive AI tools, including photo apps that digitally undress women. Last year, a Channel 4 investigation revealed that over 30 British female politicians, including Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, were targeted by a deepfake porn website.
Campaigner Jess Davies supported the government’s plan, describing intimate-image abuse as a “national emergency” that causes significant and lasting harm. The new offences will be included in the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill, which the Ministry of Justice stated will be introduced when parliamentary time permits.
The End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) urged the government to act quickly. “We have yet to see a timeline for the offence or details of the new law, which are crucial to its effectiveness,” said Rebecca Hitchen, head of policy and campaigns at EVAW. “Delaying action will only put women and girls at greater risk.”
