Deepfake porn set to finally be made illegal in the UK

The creation and distribution of deepfake porn will finally become a criminal offence in the UK.

A deepfake is a digitally altered video or image to depict someone else, often without consent. They're generally used with malicious intent or to spread false information from high-profile individuals.

In recent months, there's been a drastic rise in deepfake porn showing explicit acts of people, specifically women.

Research from Glamour revealed that women in the UK are more fearful of deepfakes than 'revenge porn'.

Conducted in partnership with Rape Crisis England & Wales and Refuge, the study found that 91 per cent of respondents think deep faking poses a threat to the safety of women, compared to 40 per cent of respondents who fear image-based sexual abuse, or so-called ‘revenge porn’.

Now, as per a government release, the new law – proposed by Conservative MP Laura Farris and the Ministry of Justice – means that anyone who creates a "sexually explicit deepfake, even if they have no intent to share it but purely want to cause alarm, humiliation or distress to the victim," will be committing a criminal offence.

They will face prosecution and an unlimited fine, the Ministry of Justice said. Sharing the images could also result in prison.

"It will also strengthen existing offences as if a person both creates this kind of image and then shares it, the CPS could charge them with two offences, potentially leading to their sentence being increased," the statement explained.

Farris described the amendment to the Criminal Justice Bill as "an important opportunity to deal with the creation of deepfake images."

"One of the realities is that some of the perpetrators of this offence are teenage boys," she explained.

"If you create a [deepfaked sexually explicit image] in the privacy of your own bedroom, it's still a crime. It could be punishable with up to an unlimited fine, and you would get a criminal record.

"To reflect the fact that creating the image is a gateway offence, there won't be a custodial sanction, and you won't join the Sex Offender's register."

Many celebrities have found themselves at the forefront of deepfake porn, including the likes of Margot Robbie, Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift among many more.

It comes after Italy's prime minister Giorgia Meloni rightfully took matters into her own hands by seeking €100,000 (£86,200) in damages after fake explicit content of her surfaced online.

The Prime Minister is set to testify on July 2 at a court in the Sardinian city of Sassari.

If successful, Meloni plans on donating the money to a fund that supports women who have been victims of male violence.

Meloni’s lawyer, Maria Giulia Marongiu, said it intends to "send a message to women who are victims of this kind of abuse of power not to be afraid to press charges."

For support and guidance for victims of intimate image abuse, contact Revenge Porn Helpline on 0345 6000 459.

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