Deepfake revenge p*rn and the law

[ArabellaScott]

This is a really horrifying story.

Helen Mort, a respected poet, has recently found that images taken from her social media were made into 'deepfake' porn, incorporated into abusive porn videos and uploaded on the web.

What seems unbelievable is that the police told her they could do nothing about it.

I've not been able to watch all of the film, as I found the poems quite upsetting, but she has started a petition to the law commission, which is here:

www.change.org/p/the-law-comission-tighten-regulation-on-taking-making-and-faking-explicit-images

Currently, it's not apparently a crime to do this, so the police can do nothing about it.

Helen Mort's film: vimeo.com/492572852?fbclid=IwAR0OElFDXv3E6HGMdBhO3IAJzx20seKeQr7EGdrDosrp3st_BylDg7dFkX4

Jesus. I downloaded the reface app the other days and was having a jolly laugh at myself as Maleficent when DP pointed out how potentially dangerous it was in the wrong hands. There’s going to be a LOT of this...

Yes, exactly, MrsWooster. I don't know what exactly can be done, I'm spiralling off into dystopian futures for my DD at the moment ...

it's not apparently a crime to do this

Bollocks is it not a crime, they are using her image without her consent to make porn. Thats a bit worse than just copyright infringement.
Also revenge porn is itself a crime.

www.lawtonslaw.co.uk/resources/what-is-the-revenge-porn-law-in-england/

This article says its not illegal in E & W:

www.independent.co.uk/life-style/women/revenge-porn-deepfake-law-commission-review-a9248566.html

Thats an interpretation of the law. The Govt is reviewing the law to see if it needs to make deep fake porn a specific offense, but using, manufacturing and distributing images without consent are already covered by existing laws.
www.gov.uk/government/news/law-around-non-consensual-taking-making-and-sharing-of-sexual-images-to-be-reviewed

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2003/21/section/127

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1988/27/section/1

www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/Eliz2/7-8/66/contents

Ah, okay, great. Thank you so much.

Fucking hell. Deepfake is really frightening. What an awful, traumatic experience for this woman.

It's horribly alarming that people can do this to someone. I wonder if it would get to the point that people could just shrug anything off as being fake though which is a double edged sword. On the one hand revenge porn could be shrugged off as fake but on the other, it'll be worse than fake news. People in power could pass any indiscretion off as faked. Maybe even criminals with cctv.

Just what we need, new technology feeding the post-truth collapse of society. I can see it essentially legalizing child porn. If it's a fake child--how can you tell if it is or not?

This is so upsetting and I'm sure she is far from alone in having it happen to her. This is what happens when porn is normalised. Making it even worse is the fact the government doesn't understand current technology.

The police told her there was nothing they could do. Doesn't really matter if us lot on Mumsnet say it's technically illegal - if you tell the police and they basically just shrug and turn you away, what are you supposed to do next?

They took photos of her from when she was young teen, pregnant, walking with her son. She recognised her face from happy moments she had shared on social media transformed in the worst, abusive way.
Horrifying. Please sign the petition to raise awareness. Porn on the internet is an unfettered beast.

Meant to say those images were from a variety of years of her life, from different postings...very creepy stalker.

Yes, it all makes me feel very concerned for the future.

I followed the link on the govt consultation above, still seems to be in consultation - due to report in summer 2021.

There's a mailing list you can ask to be added to:

[email protected]

They are actively seeking representations from individuals and organisations, it seems.

www.lawcom.gov.uk/project/taking-making-and-sharing-intimate-images-without-consent/

And there is a revenge porn helpline, which is currently closed.

revengepornhelpline.org.uk/how-can-we-help/how-to-get-in-touch/

So disturbing. Makes me glad to have decided never to post photos of my daughter on the internet.