We spoke with Professor Oli Buckley, an expert in cyber security and the use of generative AI in deception and fraud, about why truly protecting people requires a focus on how the law is enforced.
“Making the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes a criminal offence seems like a no-brainer. It’s abusive content that inflicts real harm on victims and gaps in the law have been exploited recently. The fact that an image is synthetic is no less damaging to the victims and sits right alongside sharing intimate images without consent or so called ‘revenge’ abuse.
“The real challenge now is not whether this behaviour should be illegal, but how clearly the law defines the offence and how it can be enforced in practice. Without careful definitions and meaningful oversight, there is a risk that legislation becomes difficult to apply consistently or fails to address the harms it is intended to prevent.
“Effective enforcement will require clear standards around platform responsibility, robust reporting and takedown mechanisms, and the technical capacity for law enforcement to investigate and evidence the creation and distribution of this material.”
ENDS
For further comments or interview requests for Professor Oli Buckley, please email the PR team or call on 01509 222224.