Deepfakes to become criminal offence in NI 'sooner rather than later'

The government in Northern Ireland is planning to make it illegal to create or share deepfakes, which are fake images or videos made using artificial intelligence. Deepfakes can be very realistic and are often used to put someone’s face onto another person’s body, sometimes in embarrassing or sexual situations. Right now, there are no laws in Northern Ireland that specifically protect adults from deepfakes, but Justice Minister Naomi Long wants to change that. She believes that deepfakes are extremely harmful and wants to include new rules against them in the justice bill that is being discussed by lawmakers. Naomi Long says that people who are targeted by deepfakes often feel embarrassed, humiliated, and unsafe. Some victims even develop anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, or have thoughts of suicide because of the emotional pain caused by these fake images and videos.

The Justice Minister is working quickly to make sure that deepfakes are included in the new law. She says that the justice committee is open to adding deepfakes to the bill, and she hopes that the law will be passed soon. Naomi Long also wants to start a conversation in society about why deepfakes are wrong and how they can hurt people. She believes that changing the law is important, but it is also important to change people’s attitudes so that fewer people become victims in the future. Cara Hunter, a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly, was a victim of a deepfake video during the 2022 election. Her face was put onto someone else’s body in a fake video that was shared widely on social media. She says that being the target of a deepfake is very dehumanizing and humiliating, and it can affect a person’s job, relationships, and mental health. Cara Hunter supports the government’s plan to make deepfakes a crime and wants the new law to focus on helping victims. She also thinks that people who create or share deepfakes should face serious consequences.

Other politicians, like Diane Forsythe, have also been targeted by deepfakes. She says that the law has not kept up with new technology, and people who want to hurt others are using deepfakes to do so. Deepfakes often target women and young people, and the emotional and psychological effects can be devastating. Groups that help victims, like Women’s Aid NI and Nexus, also support the new law. They say that deepfakes are another way for abusers to hurt people, and once a deepfake is online, it is almost impossible to remove. Joanne Barnes from Nexus says that non-contact sexual abuse, like deepfakes, is becoming more common, and the law needs to change quickly to protect people. The government is asking the public for their opinions on the new law until October 6. They want to know how serious the punishment should be for people who make or share deepfakes. Naomi Long says that making deepfakes a crime will help protect people from sexual abuse and violence, especially women and girls. She also says that the police need more resources to investigate these crimes because they are becoming more complex. The government hopes that with new laws and better support, they can stop deepfakes and keep people safe.