The UK government has taken a significant step forward in combating online abuse, announcing plans to make the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes a specific criminal offence. This move aims to address the growing concern of manipulated media, often created using AI, which can be used to harass and exploit individuals, particularly women.

A deepfake refers to manipulated media, such as videos or audio, created using artificial intelligence to make someone appear to say or do something they didn't. While the UK had already made sharing and threatening to share sexually explicit deepfake content an offence via the Online Safety Act, the creation of such content itself was not covered. The Ministry of Justice's announcement seeks to fill this gap, making the existing rules more comprehensive and covering those who create such content, regardless of their role in subsequent sharing.

The previous Conservative UK government had outlined similar plans, but the direction of the new government, led by Prime Minister Keir Starmer, was uncertain until now. Labour had pledged to combat deepfakes more thoroughly in its election manifesto, and Starmer himself was a victim of a deepfake video smear, which promoted an investment scheme using his AI-likeness.

In contrast, the US does not have specific laws in place to counter deepfakes, although several states, including California, are pushing for legislation. Elon Musk's X is currently suing California to prevent the law from coming into effect.

The UK government's focus on sexually explicit content is driven by the disproportionate impact it has on women. According to Parliamentary Under-Secretary Alex Davies-Jones, "one in three women have been victims of online abuse," and this "demeaning and disgusting form of chauvinism must not become normalized." The government's Plan for Change aims to bear down on violence against women in all its forms.

In addition to making deepfake creation a criminal offence, the government also announced plans to expand the scope of existing laws around the taking of intimate images without consent. This includes increasing penalties for those who install equipment, such as hidden cameras, to take intimate images, which could lead to up to two years in prison.

While a specific timescale for these changes has not been detailed, the government has confirmed that they will be included in the upcoming Crime and Policing Bill, which will be introduced "when parliamentary time allows." This move marks a significant step forward in the UK's efforts to combat online abuse and protect victims of deepfake-related harassment.

The implications of this legislation are far-reaching, and it is likely to have a significant impact on the tech industry, particularly in the development and use of AI-powered tools. As the UK takes a lead in combating deepfakes, it will be interesting to see how other countries respond to this growing concern.