United Kingdom: Announced Amendments to Online Safety Bill including new sanctions for image-based abuse
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Announced Amendments to Online Safety Bill including new sanctions for image-based abuse
On 27 June 2023, the UK Ministry of Justice announced new amendments to the Online Safety Bill. In particular, the amendments will modify current laws which require the prosecution to prove that perpetrators shared sexual images or films in order to cause distress, making it easier to charge and convict someone who shares intimate images without consent. New amendments will make abusers liable to imprisonment for up to 6 months if they share intimate images without consent. If the intention to cause distress, alarm, humiliation, or obtain sexual gratification is proved, prison sentences are increased to a maximum of 2 years and may be registered as sex offenders. Furthermore, the sharing of “deep fake” intimate images (images or videos which have been digitally manipulated to look like someone else) will also be criminalised.
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