Australia: Federal Court of Australia orders penalty for deepfake image-based abuse on online platforms

On 26 September 2025, the Federal Court ordered Anthony Rotondo to pay a civil penalty of AUD 343'500, plus costs, for posting intimate deepfake images of several high-profile Australian women. The respondent originally contravened section 75 of the Online Safety Act of 2021 by posting moving visual images depicting six different women between 2022 and 2023. In addition, Mr. Rotondo contravened sections 80 and 83(3), on two separate occasions, by failing to comply with a removal notice and a direction, respectively. He was charged in accordance primarily with section 75. Additionally, two separate pecuniary penalties of AUD 20'000 each for violations of sections 80 and 83(3), totalling AUD 40'000, were added to the charge of AUD 343'500. Mr. Rotondo must also pay the applicant's costs and incidental to the proceeding. Mr Rotondo admitted to posting these images on mrdeepfakes, a website which has since been shut down.