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deepfake

UK Gives Tech Giants 48 Hours to Delete Deepfake Porn

by خانم هاشمی February 24, 2026

Government Says Online Spaces Aren’t a Lawless Zone

LONDON — The UK government has issued a sharp warning to social media and tech companies: remove non-consensual intimate content — including deepfake pornography and revenge images — from your platforms within 48 hours, or face severe penalties.

Under proposed changes to the Crime and Policing Bill, tech firms that fail to act within that deadline could be fined up to 10% of their global revenue or see their services blocked in the United Kingdom. Victims would have to flag harmful content only once, with platforms then required to remove it across all their services and prevent future uploads.

A “National Emergency” on Online Abuse

Prime Minister Keir Starmer has framed the escalation of online image abuse as part of a broader crisis in violence against women and girls, calling the surge in harmful deepfake and revenge content a “national emergency.”

In a piece published earlier this week, Starmer wrote that transforming the internet into a safer space requires tech companies to take responsibility for the widespread circulation of these images, which often cause lasting trauma to victims.

Tech Firms Under Pressure — From X to AI Tools

The UK’s announcement follows criticism of tools such as Elon Musk’s Grok AI, which was found to generate “nudified” images of women and girls in response to user prompts.

Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, is also moving to expand its powers to enforce tech companies’ compliance with online safety laws and is considering measures like automatic image detection to help identify and block harmful material.

A Clear Message on Accountability

Government ministers and campaigners say tougher rules are essential because voluntary action by platforms has been inconsistent, leaving many victims to chase removal of explicit images one site at a time.

Department for Science, Innovation and Technology officials have said that treating non-consensual intimate images with the same seriousness as child sexual abuse or extremist content is a key aim of the new legislation.

What Happens Next?

The amendment is expected to move through Parliament soon, with enforcement measures set to take effect later this year. In parallel, policymakers are also debating broader online safety reforms — including possible further penalties for platforms that fail to implement proactive protections.

en.jahanbanou.ir

From: IRIB

February 24, 2026 0 comment

Europe

Cyberviolence Against Women and Girls Escalates Across Europe

by faeze mohammadi January 29, 2026

A new report highlights a sharp rise in technology-facilitated violence targeting women and girls across Europe, revealing cyberstalking, surveillance, online hate and digital threats as among the most frequently reported forms of abuse.

According to the latest findings from Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE), a network of over 180 NGOs dedicated to preventing gender-based violence, cyberstalking and the use of spyware are now widespread problems in digital spaces. The research shows that as digital tools expand opportunities for connection, they also expose women to persistent harassment and abuse that can be difficult to detect, prove or prosecute.

The report draws attention to the growing threat of deepfake pornography, noting that more than 90 % of deepfake videos online are pornographic in nature and almost exclusively target women. Such image-based sexual abuse is on the rise in more than half of European countries, with non-consensual sharing of intimate images increasing steadily.

In specific national data, Greece reported that women accounted for over 55 % of online threats and nearly 70 % of cyberstalking victims in 2023. Meanwhile, in Denmark, the number of young people experiencing image-based abuse has more than tripled since 2021, raising further concerns about the vulnerability of girls in online environments.

Experts warn that algorithmic amplification of misogynistic content can normalise harmful behaviour in digital communities, particularly among younger users, making it harder to curb cyberviolence at its roots. The report underscores the urgent need for stronger safeguards, legal frameworks and enforcement mechanisms to protect women from digital abuse and ensure effective accountability.

euronews

January 29, 2026 0 comment

Community

Silence with One Click

by faeze mohammadi December 15, 2025

According to the results of a comprehensive study conducted by UNESCO, nearly 75% of the female journalists who participated in the survey have experienced online violence, and about a quarter of them have been threatened with physical assault or even murder.

Given the increasing role of AI-based technologies in exacerbating online harassment—including the production and dissemination of deepfake content, malicious doxxing, and various forms of harassment—UNESCO has called for more serious and effective measures to counter gender-based violence facilitated by AI. The organization emphasizes that only through dialogue, support activities, and the reform of media and digital policies can safer physical and online spaces be created for women working in media.

According to a report by the news agency Nasaa FM, female journalists are facing a growing wave of deepfakes, deliberate doxxing, and cyberattacks—phenomena that have all been intensified by advances in artificial intelligence. When AI-generated manipulated content is released against a female journalist, the action is not limited to damaging her image; it also targets her professional credibility, personal safety, and her media voice. The increasing power of generative AI tools has given groups intent on silencing female journalists greater capacity for digital abuse—an issue with broader dimensions that encompasses all women.

In this context, UNESCO, in collaboration with prominent international media outlets, has launched a global campaign to highlight the increasing AI-based threats against female journalists. According to the report, female journalists online contend with gender-based disinformation, digital surveillance, deepfakes, and various forms of harassment and threats—a type of violence known as “technology-facilitated gender-based violence.” This form of abuse is specifically designed to crush morale, destroy credibility, and silence women active in media, and in recent years, it has taken on more alarming dimensions with the emergence of new AI technologies.

The results of UNESCO’s extensive 2022 survey titled “The Chilling: The Impact of Online Violence on Female Journalists” show that 73% of female journalists have experienced online threats, and a quarter of them have subsequently been attacked in the real world. More broadly, 58% of young women and girls worldwide report having faced harassment on social media—a statistic indicating that the scope of this crisis is not limited to journalism and affects many women across various fields.

UNESCO’s field research confirms this trend in different countries. In Zimbabwe, 63% of female journalists participating in the survey reported being victims of technology-facilitated gender-based violence, including hate speech and humiliation through images. One of the most common forms of this harassment is deliberate doxxing, which severely threatens the personal security of victims. A more alarming point is that many of these online threats have spilled over into the real world, with 14% of female journalists reporting having been victims of physical violence following online threats.

Conditions in Ukraine are also critical, where 81% of female journalists have experienced online violence, including defamation, gender-based harassment, threats to their families, and even real-world stalking and harassment.

Every year, November 2nd is commemorated as the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists—a day emphasizing the necessity of comprehensive protection for media workers and holding perpetrators of violence against journalists accountable. The theme for the 2025 observance, focusing on “Artificial Intelligence and Gender-Based Violence,” has been chosen to raise broader awareness about violence against female journalists facilitated by AI. This campaign is designed to strengthen the implementation of the UN Plan of Action on the Safety of Journalists and the Issue of Impunity and calls for exposing and curbing digital violence through dialogue, media support, and reforming macro-policies to create a safer environment online and in reality.

The 2025 campaign slogan warns that the ease of misusing AI technologies can pave the way for silencing female journalists’ voices, distorting their words, removing them from the public sphere, and spreading hate speech.

UNESCO has emphasized that ensuring the safety of female journalists is a prerequisite for defending freedom of expression for all people worldwide—especially in an era where AI is redefining the face of media and the flow of information. The organization has called on media, civil society institutions, and digital space users to join this global campaign, not to remain silent in the face of AI-facilitated gender-based violence, and to share in disseminating and amplifying the campaign’s message.

UNESCO

December 15, 2025 0 comment

Community

AI-Powered Online Threats to Women Journalists

by خانم هاشمی November 7, 2025

According to the UNESCO, nearly three-quarters of women journalists surveyed have experienced online violence. The rise of generative artificial intelligence is amplifying the threat, turning digital harassment into real-world danger and threatening not only individual reporters but the freedom of journalism itself.

The scale of the problem

A global survey commissioned by UNESCO and the International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) found that around 73 % of women journalists reported having endured some form of online violence.
Alarmingly, one in four (about 25 %) said they had been threatened with physical violence or death.
In specific country data: in Ukraine, 81 % of women journalists surveyed reported online abuse—including defamation, sexual harassment and threats to family members—that often escalated into offline harassment.
Similarly, in Zimbabwe, 63 % of women journalists said they had experienced user-generated online threats such as hate speech and image-based abuse.

How generative AI is intensifying the threat

UNESCO warns that the advent of sophisticated generative AI — such as deepfake video creation, impersonation, doxxing and large-scale coordinated harassment — has increased the reach and effectiveness of online violence against women in journalism.
One cited example: when an AI-generated fake video of a female journalist circulates, it attacks not only her image but her professional credibility, personal safety and public voice.
The problem is particularly urgent because digital threats often migrate into the physical world. UNESCO’s research found that 14 % of women journalists surveyed had been subjected to offline physical violence linked to online harassment.

Why this matters — the wider implications

The targeting of women journalists is not just a personal ordeal—it has far-reaching consequences for press freedom, diversity of voices and society’s right to information. As UNESCO notes:

“When a deepfake of a woman journalist goes viral, it’s not just her image that is attacked – it is her credibility, safety, and voice.”
Additionally, the impact of online harassment goes beyond immediate threats. The chilling effect means some women journalists retreat from public engagement, self-censor or leave journalism altogether.
The combination of misogyny, disinformation and technological abuse undermines democratic discourse and weakens accountability.

Calls to action: What needs to change

In a statement marking the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists (2 November), UNESCO urged urgent action to combat AI-facilitated gender-based violence, strengthen protections for women in media and ensure safe digital and physical environments.
Key recommendations include:

Holding perpetrators, platforms and media-employers accountable for online abuse.
Adopting gender-sensitive safety policies within newsroom.
Training women journalists in digital safety, monitoring and response.
Regulating misuse of AI tools (such as deepfakes) that are used to harass and silence.

Final word

The fact that three out of four women journalists face online violence—and a significant number see that abuse turn into physical threats—demands urgent attention. The rise of AI has made the problem more complex and more dangerous. Protecting the voices of women in the media is not optional. It is essential if free, fair and diverse journalism is to survive in the digital era.

en.jahanbanou.ir

From: UNESCO

November 7, 2025 0 comment

Europe

Britain Moves to Criminalize Sexually Explicit Deepfakes, but Stronger Legal Measures Are Essential

by faeze mohammadi January 26, 2025

As Britain prepares to make the creation of sexually explicit deepfakes a criminal offense, experts warn that while this step is crucial, a more comprehensive legal framework is needed to fully tackle technology-facilitated abuse and protect victims from the growing threats posed by digital misogyny.

On January 7, 2025, the British government announced plans to criminalize the non-consensual creation of sexually explicit deepfakes as part of its upcoming Crime and Policing Bill. This measure, aimed at combating online violence against women and girls (VAWG), represents a significant move forward.

The bill also addresses other forms of non-consensual intimate content, including taking intimate images without consent and the installation of equipment to capture such material. However, while this legislation marks progress, experts argue it is not enough.

Technology-facilitated abuse, especially through AI-generated deepfakes, has become a powerful tool for misogyny and online harassment. The use of deepfakes to create sexually explicit material without consent is causing widespread psychological harm and threatening the privacy of countless women and girls.

Despite the government’s commitment to following the Law Commission’s recommendations on intimate image-based abuse, experts believe that the legal framework must be expanded to address the broader problem. The rise of technology-facilitated misogyny, which has been linked to the radicalization of young men online, underscores the need for stronger protections.

Al tools that enable the creation of deepfakes are now widely available, and their unchecked use is contributing to a growing epidemic of sexual exploitation. Data from the National Police Chiefs’ Council shows that VAWG-related crimes rose by 37% between 2018 and 2023, with technology being involved in 40% of those offenses.

The increasing use of deepfake technology exacerbates this crisis, enabling perpetrators to digitally manipulate images, turning everyday photos into explicit content without the subject’s consent. This not only invades victims’ privacy but also has long-term effects on their mental health and reputations.

The Online Safety Act 2023 introduced laws against sharing intimate images without consent, including deepfakes, but it does not criminalize the creation of such content. Experts argue that even if these images are not publicly shared, their mere existence can cause significant harm.

Furthermore, the tools used to create deepfakes remain largely unregulated, allowing offenders to easily access and exploit them for malicious purposes. In addition to addressing the creation of deepfakes, experts are calling for stricter laws on the possession of non-consensual intimate images. Current laws on voyeurism and upskirting do not fully cover the act of possessing such images, leaving victims vulnerable to ongoing abuse.

Possession laws would prevent offenders from retaining control over the intimate images, offering victims a way to reclaim their privacy and dignity. While the UK government’s efforts to combat deepfakes and digital abuse are commendable, experts emphasize the need for a stronger, more comprehensive legal approach.

Only by criminalizing the creation, distribution, and possession of sexually explicit deepfakes, as well as regulating the tools used to create them, can the UK hope to protect victims from the dangers of technology-facilitated abuse. As technology continues to evolve, so too must the law. Policymakers are urged to close the gaps in the current legal framework to ensure that the rights and safety of women and girls are fully protected in the digital age.

Phys

January 26, 2025 0 comment