The UK Parliament debated on 13 December 2024 a proposed new law criminalising the taking, soliciting and creating of intimate images including sexually explicit deepfakes. This was a Private Member’s Bill put forward by Baroness Owen in the House of Lords.
I worked closely with Baroness Owen on the development of the Bill, ensuring it is comprehensive, and covers all forms of solicitation, creation and taking sexual images and videos without consent. The proposal is consent-based meaning that it focuses on the harms to victims, not the motives of perpetrators. This will also ensure the law is effective, as we know that motive thresholds mean fewer prosecutions.
The Bill has the support of survivor-activist Jodie, the End Violence Against Women and Girls coalition, #NotYourPorn, Refuge. It builds on the campaign for an Image-Based Abuse Law.
While there was resounding cross-party support for the Bill, the Government has said that it will not support it, a response which survivor-activist Jodie described as devastating.
Image by Lily O’Farrell @vulgadrawings
Further information
My policy briefing is available here.
My short blog on why we need a law to criminalise creation of sexually explicit deepfakes is here.
My research article detailing justifications for criminalisation of creation with Ruya Tuna Toparlak, is available here.
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