Top executives in the pornography industry may face imprisonment if they do not remove private images shared without consent. The government has proposed changes to the Crime and Policing Bill to address the online abuse of women and girls, holding senior managers accountable if their platforms do not adhere to Ofcom’s directives to eliminate non-consensual images without a valid reason. Additionally, the bill seeks to outlaw pornography featuring incest and adults portraying children.
According to Home Office Minister Jess Phillips, technology companies and offenders have profited while women suffer the consequences of AI-generated fake sexual images circulating without consent on a large scale. Phillips emphasized in a piece for the Mirror that the impact of creating and circulating these images can be devastating for survivors, calling for those profiting from such content to be held accountable.
Tech executives could be personally responsible if their platforms do not comply with Ofcom’s orders to remove offensive images shared without consent. The new legislation also criminalizes the possession and distribution of content depicting incest and simulated sexual acts between adults and minors. Furthermore, publishing or possessing pornography where an adult pretends to be a child will be punishable by up to five years in prison.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall expressed the government’s commitment to protecting women and girls online, highlighting measures to prevent tech companies from disseminating abusive content. She emphasized the obligation of tech leaders to prioritize the safety of women and girls online.
Baroness Bertin, the Lead reviewer of the Independent Pornography Review, lauded the government’s initiative to combat harmful pornographic content, including incest and simulated child sexual abuse, which she believes normalizes abusive behavior within families.