Every day, women and girls fall victim to a disturbing trend where their facial images are digitally manipulated onto explicit photos through Artificial Intelligence.
These altered images are circulated across various platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, and porn websites, violating the privacy of individuals without their consent and often without facing any repercussions.
The repercussions of such image manipulation can be severe for the victims, who have long been left to suffer while those hosting and profiting from this unethical content evade accountability. This needs to change immediately.
Let me emphasize this clearly: This constitutes a form of sexual abuse and violence against women and girls, taking place on a massive scale in the online realm.
For years, tech companies and perpetrators have evaded responsibility by claiming the issue is too complex to address. They have continued to profit while women bear the brunt of their actions.
In line with the government’s commitment to combat violence against women and girls, we have implemented stringent online safety regulations, some of the toughest globally.
However, accountability will not be restricted to individual users anymore. Today, we are declaring that senior executives at pornography companies will be held criminally liable if their platforms fail to adhere to Ofcom’s obligation to remove non-consensual intimate images.
Failure to remove such content will no longer be shrugged off by those in charge; they can anticipate facing legal consequences, including imprisonment.
This proactive stance is crucial due to the tangible harm caused. It surpasses previous calls by lawmakers and sends a clear message that profiting from online abuse against women will not go unpunished.
These measures complement the range of initiatives introduced through the Crime and Policing Bill. We are criminalizing tools that generate unauthorized intimate images, imposing penalties of up to three years in prison and significant fines.
Additionally, a new offense has been established to prohibit the creation and solicitation of sexually explicit deepfake images of adults, ensuring that online abusers cannot escape legal repercussions.
Furthermore, we are extending these laws to protect children, making it illegal to possess, create, or distribute AI tools designed for generating child sexual abuse material, punishable by up to five years in prison.
Moreover, we are outlawing abominable AI “pedophile manuals,” materials aimed at instructing individuals on using artificial intelligence for child sexual abuse.
Responsibility has been evaded for too long, with survivors and advocates receiving excuses about the challenges of regulating technology and policing the internet. When the government fails to act, they are complicit in this abuse.
This administration is taking a definitive stance. We are committed to using the full force of the law to lead the most extensive crackdown on violence against women and girls, both online and offline, in British history.
These laws will not be mere suggestions or voluntary codes; they will carry serious consequences for those who choose to violate them.