Under the new rules, anyone who reports a verified traffic offence can now bag up to 10 per cent of fines levied, up to a ceiling of five million dong ($200)
world19 hours ago
Britain plans to criminally charge people who create and share sexually explicit deepfake images to better protect women and girls, a minister said on Tuesday.
The government also plans to designate taking intimate images without consent and installing equipment to that end as new offences, with perpetrators facing up to two years in prison, the Ministry of Justice said.
It is already an offence in the UK to share or threaten to share intimate images, including deepfakes. But currently it is only an offence to create an image without consent in certain circumstances, such as so-called upskirting.
Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones said "there are current gaps" in the law and the government was "broadening" them.
"We're making it more robust to protect women and girls," she told Sky News, adding one in three women in the UK were victims of intimate images of them being made or shared.
"It's awful. It's horrific. It really, really makes women vulnerable, intimidates them, and these perpetrators of these crimes deserve to feel the full force of the law."
The justice ministry noted "hyper-realistic" deepfakes have proliferated at "an alarming rate" in recent years, "causing devastating harm to victims".
Deepfakes are images generated or edited using artificial intelligence (AI) featuring real people.
Experts warn an online boom in these non-consensual deepfakes is outpacing efforts to regulate the technology globally, with a proliferation of cheap AI tools including photo apps digitally undressing women.
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner was among more than 30 British female politicians found to be targeted by a deepfake porn website, according to a Channel 4 investigation published last year.
Campaigner Jess Davies welcomed the new laws plan, saying "intimate-image abuse is a national emergency that is causing significant, long-lasting harm".
The new offences will be included in the forthcoming Crime and Policing Bill, which the justice ministry said will be unveiled "when parliamentary time allows".
The End Violence Against Women Coalition (EVAW) urged ministers to speed up introducing the plans.
"We are yet to see a timeline for the offence or any details about the new law, which will be crucial to how effective it is," said Rebecca Hitchen, head of policy and campaigns at EVAW.
"The government must make good on its commitments to survivors — delaying action will only put women and girls in harm's way."
Under the new rules, anyone who reports a verified traffic offence can now bag up to 10 per cent of fines levied, up to a ceiling of five million dong ($200)
world19 hours ago
More than 800,000 such kits had been installed in Germany by the end of 2024, official data shows
world20 hours ago
This is our first flight and we've prepared rigorously for it, says New Glenn's senior vice-president Jones
world1 day ago
More than 2,300 US flights were cancelled on Monday with thousands more delayed amid the winter storm, tracking website FlightAware showed
world1 day ago
A previous round of mediation in December ended with both sides blaming the other for the impasse
world1 day ago
The new leadership last month unveiled a plan to dissolve the myriad of armed groups operating in Syria and integrate them into the military
world1 day ago
The move was made to help ensure that sanctions do not impede essential services and continuity of governance functions across Syria
world1 day ago
These withdrawals will continue until all Israeli forces are out of Lebanon completely, says Hochstein
world1 day ago