Naomi Long

There is currently no legislation in Northern Ireland which criminalises the creation and sharing of sexually explicit deepfake images where the images relate to adults.

However, the creation of deepfake images of children is already criminalised under section 3 of the Protection of Children (Northern Ireland) Order 1978.

A consultation launched yesterday seeks views on the introduction of offences to criminalise the creation and non-consensual sharing of sexually explicit deepfake images of an adult or requesting the creation of such images.

“I am proposing to criminalise the increasingly prevalent and despicable behaviours of creating and sharing sexually explicit deepfake images, where somebody’s image is inserted into sexually explicit content without their consent,” justice minister Naomi Long said.

“It is abhorrent behaviour which can have devastating consequences for those whose identities are misused, the overwhelming majority of whom are women.

“Victims report feeling embarrassed, humiliated, violated and unsafe, they can suffer from anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder, and some people even consider suicide because of their experiences.

“In short, this is an issue which can ruin lives, which is why we are proposing to criminalise the creation and sharing of sexually explicit deepfake images.”

The consultation deals with a range of factors, including motivation, whether the proposed offence should be dealt with in the Crown or magistrates’ court, and the sentences that should be available to judges should the creation and sharing of a sexually explicit deepfake image become a criminal offence.