The British government will introduce a new offense into the criminal code to punish the creation of fake images of a sexual nature generated by artificial intelligence (AI), of which women are the first victims, it announced on Tuesday 7 December.
Any person who takes intimate photos or videos without the consent of others or who installs equipment to capture these images, in a locker room or a bathroom for example, will now risk two years in prison, he also indicated. in a press release.
“One in three women victims of revenge porn”
Sharing intimate images of a person, including «deepfakes» created with AI, has already been banned in the United Kingdom since 2023. But the creation of these images was not yet repressed, except in specific cases, such as taking a photo up a woman’s skirt . Alex Davies-Jones, Secretary of State for Victims, said on Sky News on Tuesday that there was “gaps in the law” and that it was necessary to broaden it and «clarifier».
“One in three women in this country are victims of sharing intimate images, sometimes called “revenge porn”. “It’s horrible, it makes women vulnerable, it intimidates them, and the perpetrators of this crime deserve to feel the full force of the law.”she added.
The publication of these images without the consent of the people concerned is increasing sharply due to the proliferation of low-cost AI tools, in particular photo editing applications on phones which, for example, allow women to be undressed.
-“Tech companies must act”
In the United Kingdom, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner is one of at least 30 political figures targeted by a fake pornographic site, according to an investigation by Channel 4 television published this summer.
“Tech companies must also act: platforms that host this type of content will be subject to stricter surveillance and will be subject to significant sanctions”also warned the Secretary of State for Technology, Margaret Jones. The Labor government, which came to power in July, promised to halve violence against women within ten years.
The coalition of British feminist organizations EVAW («End Violence Against Women») urged the government to set a timetable for the introduction of these new offenses. “Delaying action will only put women and girls at risk”said one of its managers, Rebecca Hitchen.
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