Women public figures confront AI-generated deepfake porn used to shame and silence them
Broadcasters and politicians, including Narinder Kaur, Cathy Newman and Penny Mordaunt, have spoken out after AI-created pornographic images of them were shared online.
In November, a presenter at one outlet opened X to find AI-generated pornographic images of herself, created by altering photos she had posted on Instagram. The shocking material caused severe emotional distress, leading her to seek medical help and join a campaign against AI abuse. Other high-profile women, including journalist Cathy Newman and former cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt, have also reported similar deepfake porn attacks.
Official data shows a growing problem: a police-commissioned survey recorded 7% of respondents being depicted in non-consensual sexual deepfakes, and a separate poll of 2,000 UK women found 18% had suffered image-based sexual abuse. Most of the fabricated content is sexually explicit and overwhelmingly depicts women. New legislation introduced in February under the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025 now criminalises the creation or request of such images, with penalties of up to six months imprisonment, unlimited fines and a criminal record, though identifying perpetrators remains difficult.
