The UK government is taking decisive action to protect women and girls from the harm caused by sexually explicit deepfakes. In a new proposal, individuals who create or share these images could face criminal charges. This initiative aims to close existing legal gaps by criminalizing the taking and sharing of intimate images without consent. Under the new law, perpetrators could face up to two years in prison.

Currently, sharing or threatening to share intimate images, including deepfakes, is illegal in the UK. However, the creation of such images without consent is only considered a crime under specific circumstances, such as "upskirting." Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones highlighted the gaps in current legislation and emphasized the need for a more robust legal framework to safeguard women from the damaging effects of non-consensual deepfakes and revenge porn.

The Ministry of Justice has noted that deepfakes, particularly hyper-realistic ones created with artificial intelligence, have spread rapidly, causing significant harm to victims. Experts warn that the proliferation of these AI-generated images is outpacing efforts to regulate the technology globally, with cheap tools enabling the digital manipulation of images, including altering photos to undress women without their consent.

The upcoming Crime and Policing Bill, which will introduce the new offences, has been welcomed by campaigners, including Jess Davies, who described intimate-image abuse as a "national emergency." However, the End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) has urged the government to expedite the process, stressing that delays would leave women and girls vulnerable to further harm.