UK "Punishment for creating deepfake sexual images"

The UK is pushing again to punish people just by creating sexual images with deepfakes, an act of manipulating images using artificial intelligence.

Britain's Justice Department says the "crime policing bill" to be introduced by the government will include penal provisions to punish those who make sexual images or videos with deepfakes without the consent of the parties.

Earlier in April last year, the former Conservative government announced a similar policy, but it failed to complete legislation as it held a general election in July.

The new legislation also criminalizes taking private images, such as body parts in clothes, and installing equipment for them without consent, which could lead to up to two years in prison.

It is still illegal to share or threaten the sharing of private images, including deepfake images, with others, but under the new legislation, it is criminal to produce or shoot, regardless of whether they are shared or not.

Bullying using deepfake pornography has soared 400% since 2017, according to the UK Victim Support Group.