Protections in the justice system for women and girls
Online and technology-facilitated harm: intimate images - nudify apps
Background
Alongside the proposed new offences in the previous section relating to creation of intimate image deepfakes, and in the context of existing wider intimate image laws, it is clear it is necessary to focus on the tools that can be used to carry out this harmful behaviour.
These tools are often referred to as nudify apps. They make use of artificial intelligence (AI) technology to generate intimate images without consent, with a disproportionate impact on women and girls. The increasing availability of these tools to facilitate behaviour that exploits victims is embedding a toxic online environment for too many people including, in particular, women and girls.
Context to the issue that is being raised
We are proposing to criminalise the production, supply and the offering to supply of digital tools and services designed solely or principally to generate intimate images and videos. This would include as a subset of these tools, such as nudify apps, that are designed specifically to create non-consensual intimate images.
The tools create an easily available route for people to create such harmful intimate images and with the evolution of AI, the need to have access to a victim - for example, through a relationship - in order to obtain intimate images is now significantly reduced. This is because such tools do not require original images that either are or are close to intimate images and as such, this has greatly reduced the barrier of entry to intimate images offences.
Our view
We propose introducing a new production, supply and the offering to supply intimate image generators offence.
The full details of an offence will be developed, informed by views offered on the principle of whether to create a new offence in this area. These further details will include any necessary defences and safeguards to the operation of the offence.