AI-Generated Sexually Explicit Deepfakes On UK Government Radar As New Law Seeks To Criminalize Them: 'Making This Material Is Immoral'

The UK government is preparing to criminalize the creation of sexually explicit deepfake images.

What Happened: The proposed law will prosecute and fine individuals found guilty of creating such deepfakes without consent, irrespective of their intent to share the images. Distributing the images could lead to imprisonment, reported Bloomberg.

The Ministry of Justice attributes the rise of deepfake images and videos to rapid advancements in artificial intelligence. The UK has classified violence against women and girls as a national threat, prompting police to prioritize its prevention. This new law forms part of the efforts to curb practices that are increasingly being used to humiliate or distress victims.

The Minister for Victims and Safeguarding, Laura Farris, stated, “This new offence sends a crystal clear message that making this material is immoral, often misogynistic, and a crime.”

See Also: GOP Lawmakers Slam Biden After Trump-Era Exemption Results In Huawei Unveiling Laptop With New Intel AI Chip

The government is also introducing new criminal offenses for individuals who take or record real intimate images without consent, or install equipment to enable someone to do so.

An additional statutory aggravating factor will be introduced for offenders who cause death through abusive, degrading or dangerous sexual behavior.

Why It Matters: The misuse of deepfake technology has been a growing concern worldwide. In February, a corporate scam involving deepfake technology led to the theft of $25 million. The same month, Meta Platforms was urged to revise its deepfake rules after a controversial video of President Joe Biden was deemed not to breach the company’s current regulations.

In March, the rise of deepfake videos in Asia raised alarms over potential election interference. Earlier in the year, Microsoft CEO, Satya Nadella, expressed concerns over AI-generated explicit images of pop star Taylor Swift, describing the situation as “alarming and terrible”.

The UK’s move to criminalize the creation of intimate deepfake images is a significant step in addressing the misuse of this technology.

Read Next: Elon Musk Asks Advertisers To Return To X After Months Of Tussle With Disney, Apple, And Others As Zuckerberg’s Meta Faces Flak For Ad-System Inconsistency

Image Via Shutterstock


Engineered by Benzinga Neuro, Edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote


The GPT-4-based Benzinga Neuro content generation system exploits the extensive Benzinga Ecosystem, including native data, APIs, and more to create comprehensive and timely stories for you. Learn more.


Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs
Comments
Loading...
Posted In: GovernmentNewsRegulationsLegalTechartificial intelligencedeepfakeKaustubh BagalkoteUK
Benzinga simplifies the market for smarter investing

Trade confidently with insights and alerts from analyst ratings, free reports and breaking news that affects the stocks you care about.

Join Now: Free!