Parliament debates bill to outlaw deepfakes

On 13 December 2024, the House of Lords debated the Non-Consensual Sexually Explicit Images and Videos (Offences) Bill at its second reading. Sponsored by Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge, the proposed legislation seeks to amend the Sexual Offences Act 2003 to criminalise the creation, solicitation, or taking of sexually explicit images without consent, including so-called deepfakes.

Deepfakes, synthetic media generated using artificial intelligence, have predominantly been used for malicious purposes. Statistics reveal that 98% of deepfakes are pornographic, with 99% targeting women and girls.

Speaking on Times Radio, Emma Woollcott, Head of Reputation Protection and Crisis Management at Mishcon de Reya, highlighted the harm caused by this technology: “It’s happening at scale, and the impact is violating and deeply disturbing. Victims feel dehumanised and haunted by these realistic but fake images.”

The Bill aims to address gaps in current legislation, which criminalises sharing intimate images without consent but does not encompass the creation or solicitation of deepfakes. Woollcott emphasised the importance of futureproofing the law: “Technology has outpaced legislation. This Bill is carefully drafted to cover evolving behaviours and close existing loopholes.”

Mishcon de Reya, a leading law firm specialising in online abuse and image-based sexual offences, has long advocated for stronger legal protections. Their collaboration with Queen Mary University Legal Advice Centre through the pro bono SPITE project has provided critical support to victims of image-based abuse and informed education initiatives in schools. Welcoming the Bill, Woollcott underscored the urgency of its passage: “If passed, this law would provide much-needed protections for victim-survivors of deepfake abuse, addressing alarming rates of misogyny and violence against women and girls in the UK.”

The Bill represents a significant step in closing the gap between technological capabilities and legal safeguards, offering hope for enhanced protections against one of the most invasive forms of digital abuse.