Under the latest suggestions, anyone who distributes “deepfakes” – obscene photographs or films that have been digitally altered to resemble another person without their knowledge – could face jail time.
The illegal distribution of “downblouse” photographs and pornographic “deepfakes” will be criminalized by new legislation.
The government has stated that a proposed change to the Online Safety Bill will provide police and prosecutors with expanded authority to bring offenders to justice.
Under the latest suggestions, anyone who distributes “deepfakes” – obscene photographs or films that have been digitally altered to resemble another person without their knowledge – could face jail time.
The Ministry of Justice is also expected to introduce legislation to prevent the installation of technology, such as covert cameras, that can capture or record photographs of individuals without their knowledge.
This will include “downblouse,” the practice of photographing an individual from the bottom up.
The legislation will allow prosecutors to “come down like a tonne of bricks” on individuals who mistreat or threaten women and girls, according to Justice Secretary Dominic Raab.
“Our message is crystal clear: we want girls and women to have complete faith in the law, and we want those who abuse, harass, or intimidate them to experience the full weight of the law,” he told broadcasters.
Protecting women and children from “reprehensible abuse”
The deputy prime minister added in a statement, “We must do more to protect women and girls from those who capture or distort private photographs to harass or humiliate them.
“Our amendments will provide police and prosecutors with the authority they need to bring these cowards to justice and protect women and girls from such heinous assault.”
Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan added, “With these additional amendments to the bill, our laws will go even farther to protect women and children, who are disproportionately victimized by this heinous abuse, against it permanently.”
One in fourteen adults in England and Wales has been threatened to share private photos, according to statistical data.
Between April 2015 and December 2021, the police received over 28,000 reports of the disclosure of private sexual photographs without authorization.
No longer will perpetrators dodge justice.
The Law Commission had demanded the modifications, stating that criminal offenses had not kept up with technological advancements and had failed to safeguard all victims, while offenders eluded prosecution.
The Law Commission’s Professor Penney Lewis stated, “Taking or disseminating intimate photos of a person without their consent can cause irreparable harm.
“We are delighted the administration will implement our suggestions to enhance the law.
“A new set of crimes will encompass a broader spectrum of abusive behaviors, ensuring that more perpetrators of these gravely destructive acts will be prosecuted.”
Domestic Abuse Commissioner Nicole Jacobs added, “I applaud the government’s efforts to protect victims and survivors online, on the streets, and in their own homes.”
