Making deepfake porn without consent could soon be a crime in England

The creation of sexually explicit deepfake content is likely to become a criminal offense in England and Wales as concern grows over the use of artificial intelligence to exploit and harass women.

The creation of sexually explicit deepfake content is likely to become a criminal offense in England and Wales as concern grows over the use of artificial intelligence to exploit and harass women. Under a draft law, anyone who creates such an image or video of another adult without their consent — even if they don’t intend to share it — would face a criminal record and an unlimited fine, the UK justice department announced Tuesday. It is already illegal in England and Wales to share explicit deepfakes without the subject’s consent, with perpetrators facing jail time. Deepfakes are images or videos that have been manipulated, often using AI, to give the impression that someone has done or said something that they have not. Laura Farris, the United Kingdom’s Minister for Victims and Safeguarding, told ITV Tuesday that “to the best of (her) knowledge,” the two countries within the UK would be the first anywhere in the world to outlaw the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes. Under the draft law, such content would include both pornographic images and nude deepfakes, whether or not the subject is engaging in erotic behavior. The devolved governments of Scotland and Northern Ireland are responsible for passing relevant laws in those countries. They did not immediately respond to CNN’s question about whether they planned to introduce equivalent rules.