Victims of Deepfake Abuse Demand Stricter Protection as New Law Takes Effect
Over 73,000 people have signed a petition delivered to Downing Street by campaign group Stop Image-Based Abuse, calling for tougher measures against deepfake image abuse. The new law, which came into effect on Friday, makes creating explicit non-consensual images a criminal offense.
The law was hailed as a "momentous day" by Jodie, a victim of deepfake abuse who discovered her intimate images had been shared online without consent. She expressed frustration with the delayed implementation, stating that it allowed millions more women to become victims and denied them justice.
Campaigners are urging the government to introduce civil routes to justice such as takedown orders for abusive imagery on platforms and devices. They also want improved relationships and sex education, as well as adequate funding for specialist services like the Revenge Porn Helpline.
The law was introduced as an amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, following years of campaigning by Stop Image-Based Abuse. However, campaigners argue that the current legislation falls short in protecting sex workers from intimate image abuse.
Madeline Thomas, a sex worker and founder of tech forensics company Image Angel, said that while the law was a step forward, it did not provide sufficient support for victims like her who have been subjected to non-consensual images shared online. "When commercial sexual images are misused, they're only seen as a copyright breach," she said. "However, the proportion of available responses doesn't match the harm that occurs when you experience it."
The issue of deepfake abuse is a growing concern, with one in three women in the UK experiencing online abuse. The Ministry of Justice has vowed to take action against companies behind "nudification" apps and is making creating non-consensual sexual deepfakes a priority offense under the Online Safety Act.
However, many campaigners remain skeptical about the government's commitment to addressing this issue, saying that more needs to be done to protect victims like Jodie.
Over 73,000 people have signed a petition delivered to Downing Street by campaign group Stop Image-Based Abuse, calling for tougher measures against deepfake image abuse. The new law, which came into effect on Friday, makes creating explicit non-consensual images a criminal offense.
The law was hailed as a "momentous day" by Jodie, a victim of deepfake abuse who discovered her intimate images had been shared online without consent. She expressed frustration with the delayed implementation, stating that it allowed millions more women to become victims and denied them justice.
Campaigners are urging the government to introduce civil routes to justice such as takedown orders for abusive imagery on platforms and devices. They also want improved relationships and sex education, as well as adequate funding for specialist services like the Revenge Porn Helpline.
The law was introduced as an amendment to the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025, following years of campaigning by Stop Image-Based Abuse. However, campaigners argue that the current legislation falls short in protecting sex workers from intimate image abuse.
Madeline Thomas, a sex worker and founder of tech forensics company Image Angel, said that while the law was a step forward, it did not provide sufficient support for victims like her who have been subjected to non-consensual images shared online. "When commercial sexual images are misused, they're only seen as a copyright breach," she said. "However, the proportion of available responses doesn't match the harm that occurs when you experience it."
The issue of deepfake abuse is a growing concern, with one in three women in the UK experiencing online abuse. The Ministry of Justice has vowed to take action against companies behind "nudification" apps and is making creating non-consensual sexual deepfakes a priority offense under the Online Safety Act.
However, many campaigners remain skeptical about the government's commitment to addressing this issue, saying that more needs to be done to protect victims like Jodie.
Like, millions of women have been affected and now we're still waiting for better support? It's all good that creating explicit non-consensual images is now a crime, but what about the people who already suffered from this abuse? We need more than just a new law, we need real change 
. They need to make it easier for victims to get justice and not have to go through hell like Jodie did 
. And what's with the "momentous day" phrase? It feels like they're trying to make us all feel better than we really are 
.
. They're talking about takedown orders and improved sex education, which sounds like a good idea, but what about the actual resources to back it up? Are they gonna throw more money at this problem or just keep promising changes 
?
. I mean, who hasn't been online and seen those creepy, fake images of people being shared around? It's just not right 
. I mean, women have been being victims of deepfake abuse for years and no one's done anything about it 
. And now that they're finally doing something, I just hope it's enough 
. Like, how are we supposed to know if companies are actually going to take down those images or not? 
And what about the victims who don't get the support they deserve? That's where I think more needs to be done in terms of funding and resources 
.
.
. This new law might seem like a step in the right direction, but let's get real, it's not enough! 
We need to see more action taken against these apps that create and spread non-consensual deepfakes. I mean, come on, just because it's now a crime doesn't mean companies are gonna take responsibility or even pay attention? 
about people still gettin' hurt by deepfake pics 
. The new law is a good start 
but we need more 
who can't even trust their own pics 
, like takedown orders & better sex ed 
. And let's not forget those sex workers 
. We need more support & funding 
. I'm glad the gov is takin' action 
but we gotta keep pushin' for change 
!
. And can we talk about how many women in the UK are experiencing online abuse... 1 in 3?! That's crazy 
. We need to be more vocal about this issue and support each other 
.
I mean, come on, 73k people signed a petition? That's just a drop in the ocean, if you ask me. I'm not saying it's not a good start, but let's be real, we need more than just a law to make some changes. It's like, what about the people who can't even access justice or get help because they're from rural areas? 
. its not just about the law, its about creating a culture where consent is valued and respected. im not sure if this new law will be enough for victims like jodie who have already been through so much trauma 
. But seriously, 73k people signing a petition is like, woah! I guess that's what happens when you're feeling like you're stuck in a never-ending loop of "nudification" apps 
.
. And sex workers are still being victimized because of the law not providing enough support 
.
. And can we talk about how sex workers are still getting screwed over by this law? It's like they're just expected to suffer in silence 
. And can we talk about how long it took for this law to be implemented? Like, millions of women got hurt while waiting for help... that's just not okay 
. I hope the gov really follows through on its promises and does more to protect us online 
. Takedown orders on platforms & devices would be a big help 
. And let's be real, the gov still has a lot of work to do if they wanna tackle this issue head-on 
, but is it enough? I mean, think about it, 73k people signing a petition already is a huge step forward 
, and that's something we need to acknowledge. But at the same time, we gotta ask ourselves if we're just patching up the symptoms instead of dealing with the root cause.
. We need to have these conversations 
, so we can prevent these situations from happening in the first place. I mean, think about sex workers like Madeline Thomas who are already vulnerable 
.