The UK Cracks Down on Deepfakes: Criminalizing the Creation of Sexually Explicit AI-Generated Content
The UK government is taking a significant step forward in the fight against online abuse with plans to criminalize the creation of sexually explicit deepfake content. This move follows the implementation of the Online Safety Act last year, which already outlawed the sharing and threatening to share such material. However, the creation of these deeply disturbing and often harmful images and videos remained within a legal gray area. What are Deepfakes? Deepfakes are synthetic media, primarily videos or audio, created using sophisticated artificial intelligence algorithms. These powerful tools can convincingly manipulate existing media to depict individuals saying or doing things they never actually did. While deepfakes have legitimate applications in entertainment and education, their misuse, particularly in the realm of sexually explicit content, poses a serious threat to individuals' privacy, dignity, and safety. The Harms of Sexually Explicit Deepfakes The creation and dissemination …
