Former adviser to Boris Johnson, Baroness Owen of Alderley Edge, has raised concerns about the rise of deepfake abuse, describing it as the “new frontier” of violence against women.
She has called for legislation to outlaw the creation of deepfake content, highlighting the existing gap in legislation that only addresses the non-consensual sharing of such material.
During a debate in the House of Lords, Lady Owen highlighted the increasing use of so-called nudify apps, which allow users to create fake nude images or videos of individuals using generative artificial intelligence, known as deepfakes.
She emphasized that women are disproportionately affected by this type of abuse, citing research that found 98% of deepfake videos are pornographic, with 99% of those targeting women.
Warning Against Violence Abuse (Credits: Yahoo Finance)
Lady Owen expressed concern that the creation of deepfake porn for private use is currently legal, leading to a proliferation of such content online. She warned that this trend normalizes online misogyny and hate, causing serious harm to individuals and having a wider societal impact.
According to Lady Owen, the ability to create deepfake content in a matter of seconds poses a significant threat to all women, as it undermines their ability to control intimate images of themselves.
She highlighted the silencing effect this can have, with many women withdrawing from social media and normal life out of fear of being targeted.
Lady Owen called for urgent legislative action to prevent the normalization of deepfake abuse and to protect women from this new form of violence. She stressed the importance of educating society to differentiate between real and fake content in an age where images can no longer be trusted.
In conclusion, Lady Owen urged lawmakers to act swiftly to address the creation of non-consensual deepfake content, emphasizing that time is of the essence in preventing the further spread of this form of violence against women.
