According to MEP Maria Walsh, in order to counteract the fast emergence of deepfake technologies that disproportionately affect women and girls, gaps in national legislation must be addressed, reports Breaking News.
As part of Saturday’s activity for International Women’s Day, MEP Maria Walsh wrote to Minister for Justice Jim O’Callaghan to draw attention to the current inadequacies in national legislation.
Last year, there was an estimated 245 percent rise in deepfakes, with women making up 99 percent of victims and 96 percent of deepfakes being pornographic.
MEP Maria Walsh, full member of the European Parliament’s Gender Equality Committee, said: “Urgent action at EU and national level is needed to control the spread and impact of deepfakes. I have written to Minister Jim O’Callaghan to request the Department of Justice address the gap that currently exists whereby the creation of harmful deepfakes remains largely outside the scope of existing legislation,” reports Breaking News.
“As we mark International Women’s Day today, we must recognise the new digital and cyber threats facing women in the 21st century. Deepfake images and videos are quick and easy to make, and have the potential to destroy a woman’s reputation, sense of safety and psychological wellbeing. While Ireland has led the way through the passing of Coco’s Law, which criminalises the distribution of intimate images without consent, much work remains to target the individuals who create harmful deepfakes. I believe there is a credible argument for new legislation that targets these creators, with penalties proportionate to the damage caused,” reports Breaking News.
“Under current legislation, the sharing of deepfake intimate images of a person without their consent is covered because of the broad definition of an intimate image contained in Coco’s Law. However, the creation of an intimate deepfake is not in itself an offence under the legislation; it is the distribution, publishing or threatening to distribute or publish where the offence occurs. There is also no legislation that addresses the creation or dissemination of deepfakes in the general sense – such as seemingly innocent but synthetic images, which we have recently seen being created of politicians,” reports Breaking News.
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