Women public figures battle AI-generated porn used to shame and silence them
AI-crafted pornographic deepfakes have been used against several high-profile women in the UK, leading to a new law that criminalises non-consensual creation of such images.
Several UK women in the public eye, including a presenter at one outlet, Labour MP Jess Asato and university lecturer Jill Salt, have been targeted with AI-generated porn that swaps their clothing for nudity or places them in degrading scenarios. The abuse has spread beyond younger women to middle-aged and older victims, with a police-commissioned survey reporting 7% of respondents depicted in non-consensual deepfakes and a separate poll indicating 18% of women suffered image-based sexual abuse.
In response, the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 was amended in February to criminalise the creation or request of intimate deepfake images without consent, imposing up to six months’ imprisonment and unlimited fines. Law enforcement has seized devices from a 36-year-old man containing thousands of AI-generated images, but perpetrators often delete accounts after reports, hindering detection. Victims say the material is shared repeatedly, causing severe emotional distress and prompting some, like Jill Salt, to withdraw from public roles. Advocacy groups such as the End Violence Against Women Coalition and #NotYourPorn are pushing for stricter platform regulation and accountability.
