UK government urged to outlaw apps creating deepfake abuse images

AI nudification apps are putting children at risk and must be outlawed, Dame Rachel de Souza says.
Deepfake sexual abuse should be recognised as violence against women and girls, the report urges.

The Children’s Commissioner has urged the UK Government to ban AI apps that create sexually explicit images through “nudification” technology. AI tools capable of manipulating real photos to make people appear naked are being used to target children.

Concerns in the UK are growing as these apps are now widely accessible online, often through social media and search platforms. In a newly published report, Dame Rachel warned that children, particularly girls, are altering their online behaviour out of fear of becoming victims of such technologies.

She stressed that while AI holds great potential, it also poses serious risks to children’s safety. The report also recommends stronger legal duties for AI developers and improved systems to remove explicit deepfake content from the internet.

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