In a significant move to combat the growing issue of nonconsensual intimate images and deepfake technology, the UK government has announced the implementation of new legislation this week. Kendall May, the Digital Secretary, has made it clear that the previous actions taken by the previous administration were simply not enough.
Under the Online Safety Act, the sharing of intimate images without someone’s consent, or the threat of sharing such content, including images of people in their underwear, is now a criminal offence for both individuals and online platforms. May’s predecessor, Peter Kyle, had rightly prioritised this issue, ensuring that service providers must take proactive steps to prevent this type of content from appearing in the first place.
Furthermore, the Data Act, passed last year, has made it a criminal offence to create or request the creation of nonconsensual and intimate images. Effective immediately, this offence will be brought into force, and the Digital Secretary has vowed to make it a priority within the Online Safety Act.
This means that individuals who engage in the creation or seeking of such content, including on platforms like X, will be committing a criminal offence and can expect to face the full extent of the law. The government’s stance on this issue is clear – there will be zero tolerance for these unethical and abusive practices.
The announcement comes on the heels of the decision by X last week to restrict the use of its Grok AI deepfake tool to subscribers only. However, May has stated that this measure does not go far enough, and the new legislation will provide a much stronger and more comprehensive approach to tackling the problem.
“Under the Online Safety Act, sharing intimate images without someone’s consent, or threatening to share them, including images of people in their underwear, is a criminal offence for individuals and for platforms,” May said. “My predecessor [Peter Kyle] rightly made this a priority offence, so services have to take proactive action to stop this content from appearing in the first place.”
The Digital Secretary’s commitment to addressing this issue reflects the growing concern over the widespread abuse of technology to create and distribute nonconsensual intimate content. These new laws aim to provide robust legal protections and send a clear message that such practices will not be tolerated.
As the digital landscape continues to evolve, the UK government is taking decisive steps to ensure the safety and privacy of its citizens, particularly in the realm of intimate and personal data. The implementation of these new measures is a significant step forward in the ongoing battle against revenge porn and deepfakes.