Key Takeaways:
- The UK is introducing laws to make it illegal to create online sexual images of someone without their consent
- Elon Musk’s company, xAI, has introduced measures to prevent its AI chatbot Grok from allowing the editing of photos of real people to portray them in revealing clothing
- The UK government will fast-track provisions in the Data (Use and Access) Act to make it a criminal offense to create or request deepfake images
- The new laws will come into effect on February 6, and companies that supply tools designed to create non-consensual intimate images will face penalties
- The UK government is also investigating X for potential breaches of UK laws over Grok-generated images of children being sexualized or people being undressed
Introduction to the Issue
The UK is set to introduce new laws that will make it illegal to create online sexual images of someone without their consent, following a global backlash over the use of Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence chatbot Grok to make sexualized deepfakes of women and children. As British Prime Minister Keir Starmer stated, "Free speech is not the freedom to violate consent. I am glad that action has now been taken. But we’re not going to let this go. We will continue because this is a values argument." The new laws are a response to the growing concern over the use of generative AI tools to create non-consensual intimate images, and the UK government is taking a strong stance to tackle the issue.
The Problem of Non-Consensual Deepfakes
The problem of non-consensual deepfakes has been highlighted by the launch of Grok Imagine, an AI image generator that allows users to create videos and pictures by typing in text prompts. The tool includes a "spicy mode" that can generate adult content, which has been used to create thousands of images that "undress" people without their consent. As Technology Secretary Liz Kendall noted, "The content which has circulated on X is vile. It is not just an affront to decent society, it is illegal." The images have included sexualization of children as young as 11 and women subjected to physical abuse, and have been widely condemned by lawmakers and regulators.
The UK’s Response
The UK government is taking a two-pronged approach to tackle the issue. Firstly, it is fast-tracking provisions in the Data (Use and Access) Act to make it a criminal offense to create or request deepfake images. The legislation is set to come into effect on February 6, and will make it illegal for individuals to create or distribute non-consensual intimate images. As Justice Secretary David Lammy stated, "Let this be a clear message to every cowardly perpetrator hiding behind a screen: you will be stopped and when you are, make no mistake that you will face the full force of the law." Secondly, the government is also criminalizing "nudification" apps as part of the Crime and Policing Bill, which is currently going through Parliament. This will make it illegal for companies to supply tools designed to create non-consensual intimate images, and will target the problem at its source.
Enforcement and Penalties
The UK government is taking a strong stance on enforcement, with penalties for companies that breach the new laws. X, the social media platform that hosts Grok, could face a fine of up to 10% of its qualifying global revenue depending on the outcome of an ongoing investigation by Ofcom, the UK’s media regulator. The investigation is looking into whether X has breached UK laws over the Grok-generated images of children being sexualized or people being undressed. As Ofcom noted, such images may amount to pornography or child sexual abuse material. The UK government is also keeping its presence on X "under review," and has faced calls to stop using the platform altogether.
Conclusion
The introduction of new laws to tackle non-consensual deepfakes is a welcome move, but it is only the first step in addressing the issue. As critics have noted, laws regulating generative AI tools are long overdue, and the UK government must remain vigilant in enforcing the new laws and preventing further breaches. As Elon Musk himself noted, "When asked to generate images, Grok will refuse to produce anything illegal, as the operating principle for Grok is to obey the laws of any given country or state." However, the fact that Grok was able to generate non-consensual intimate images in the first place highlights the need for stronger regulations and enforcement. The UK government’s response is a step in the right direction, but it must continue to monitor the issue and take further action as needed to protect individuals from the harm caused by non-consensual deepfakes.
https://www.wral.com/news/ap/63406-what-to-know-about-uk-legal-changes-aiming-to-regulate-ai-generated-nude-images/
