Criminalizing Deepfake and Revenge Porn: England and Wales Introduces Stricter Laws

Those found guilty of sharing an image for sexual gratification could be placed on the sex offenders' register.

Sharing an intimate image without consent, known as revenge porn, was already criminalized in 2015, but prosecutors had to prove intent to cause humiliation or distress.

The new amendments will make it easier to prosecute perpetrators, and those caught could face up to two years in prison if intent to cause distress can be proved.

The changes were announced last year and are part of the Online Safety Bill, which is due to be voted on by MPs later this month.

Justice Secretary Alex Chalk said the changes would give police and prosecutors the powers they need to bring abusers to justice.

Increasingly, deepfake porn has been an issue, with a website that virtually strips women naked receiving 38 million hits in the first eight months of 2021.

One in seven women and one in nine men aged between 18 and 34 have experienced threats to share intimate images.

More than 28,000 reports of disclosing private sexual images without consent were recorded by police between April 2015 and December 2021.

The overhaul of intimate image law builds on previous amendments, including a detailed review by the Law Commission.

Domestic Abuse Commissioner Nicole Jacobs welcomed the news and said the changes would hold perpetrators to account for this insidious form of abuse.

However, others have pointed out that more needs to be done to fully address image-based abuse.

The Online Safety Bill aims to tackle the creation and sharing of child sexual abuse material, but more needs to be done to address the issue.

A loophole in the legislation allows tech bosses to escape responsibility if they fail to address the role their products play in child sexual abuse.

The government should take action to close this loophole.