Gender rights online Archives | Digital Watch Observatory

Scotland considers new offence for AI intimate images

The Scottish government has launched a consultation proposing a specific criminal offence for creating AI-generated intimate images without consent. Existing Scots law covers the sharing of such photos, but ministers in Scotland say gaps remain around their creation.

The consultation in Scotland also seeks views on criminalising digital tools designed solely to produce intimate images and videos. Ministers aim to address harms linked to emerging AI technologies affecting women and girls across Scotland.

Additional proposals in Scotland include a statutory aggravation where domestic abuse involves a pregnant woman, requiring courts to treat such cases more seriously at sentencing. Measures to strengthen protections against spiking offences are also under review in Scotland.

Justice Secretary Angela Constance said responses in Scotland would inform future action to reduce violence against women and girls. The consultation also considers changes to non-harassment orders and examines whether further laws on non-fatal strangulation are needed in Scotland.

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OURA launches AI model tailored to women’s physiology with privacy-first design

Guidance for women’s health is entering a new phase as ŌURA introduces a proprietary large language model designed specifically for reproductive and hormonal wellbeing.

The model sits within Oura Advisor and is available for testing through Oura Labs, drawing on clinical standards, peer-reviewed evidence and biometric signals collected through the Oura Ring to create personalised and context-aware responses.

The system interprets questions through women’s physiology instead of depending on general-purpose models that miss critical hormonal and life-stage variables.

It supports the full spectrum of reproductive health, from the earliest menstrual patterns to menopause, and is intentionally tuned to be non-dismissive and emotionally supportive.

By combining longitudinal sleep, activity, stress, cycle and pregnancy data with clinician-reviewed research, the model aims to strengthen understanding and preparation ahead of medical appointments.

Privacy forms the centre of the architecture, with all processing hosted on infrastructure controlled entirely by the company. Conversations are neither shared nor sold, reflecting ŌURA’s broader push for private AI.

Oura Labs operates as an opt-in experimental environment where new features are tested in collaboration with members who can leave at any time.

Women who take part influence the model’s evolution by contributing feedback that informs future development.

These interactions help refine personalised insights across fertility, cycle irregularities, pregnancy changes and other hormonal shifts, marking a significant step in how the Finland-founded company advances preventive, data-guided care for its global community.

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Global privacy regulators warn of rising AI deepfake harms

Privacy regulators from around the world have issued a joint warning about the rise of AI-generated deepfakes, arguing that the spread of non-consensual images poses a global risk instead of remaining a problem confined to individual countries.

Sixty-one authorities endorsed a declaration that draws attention to AI images and videos depicting real people without their knowledge or consent.

The signatories highlight the rapid growth of intimate deepfakes, particularly those targeting children and individuals from vulnerable communities. They note that such material often circulates widely on social platforms and may fuel exploitation or cyberbullying.

The declaration argues that the scale of the threat requires coordinated action rather than isolated national responses.

European authorities, including the European Data Protection Board and the European Data Protection Supervisor, support the effort to build global cooperation.

Regulators say that only joint oversight can limit the harms caused by AI systems that generate false depictions, rather than protecting individuals’ privacy as required under frameworks such as the General Data Protection Regulation.

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UK sets 48-hour deadline for removing intimate images

The UK government plans to require technology platforms to remove intimate images shared without consent within forty-eight hours instead of allowing such content to remain online for days.

Through an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, firms that fail to comply could face fines amounting to ten percent of their global revenue or risk having their services blocked in the UK.

A move that reflects ministers’ commitment to treat intimate image abuse with the same seriousness as child sexual abuse material and extremist content.

The action follows mounting concern after non-consensual sexual deepfakes produced by Grok circulated widely, prompting investigations by Ofcom and political pressure on platforms owned by Elon Musk.

The government now intends victims to report an image once instead of repeating the process across multiple services. Once flagged, the content should disappear across all platforms and be blocked automatically on future uploads through hash-matching or similar detection tools.

Ministers also aim to address content hosted outside the reach of the Online Safety Act by issuing guidance requiring internet providers to block access to sites that refuse to comply.

Keir Starmer, Liz Kendall and Alex Davies-Jones emphasised that no woman should be forced to pursue platform after platform to secure removal and that the online environment must offer safety and respect.

The package of reforms forms part of a broader pledge to halve violence against women and girls during the next decade.

Alongside tackling intimate image abuse, the government is legislating against nudification tools and ensuring AI chatbots fall within regulatory scope, using this agenda to reshape online safety instead of relying on voluntary compliance from large technology firms.

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Summit in India hears call for safe AI

The UN Secretary General has warned that AI must augment human potential rather than replace it, speaking at the India AI Impact Summit in New Delhi. Addressing leaders at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, he urged investment in workers so that technology strengthens, rather than displaces, human capacity.

In New Delhi, he cautioned that AI could deepen inequality, amplify bias and fuel harm if left unchecked. He called for stronger safeguards to protect people from exploitation and insisted that no child should be exposed to unregulated AI systems.

Environmental concerns also featured prominently in New Delhi, with Guterres highlighting rising energy and water demands from data centres. He urged a shift to clean power and warned against transferring environmental costs to vulnerable communities.

The UN chief proposed a $3 billion Global Fund on AI to build skills, data access and affordable computing worldwide. In New Delhi, he argued that broader access is essential to prevent countries from being excluded from the AI age and to ensure AI supports sustainable development goals.

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Macron calls Europe safe space for AI

French President Emmanuel Macron told the AI Impact Summit in New Delhi that Europe would remain a safe space for AI innovation and investment. Speaking in New Delhi, he said the European Union would continue shaping global AI rules alongside partners such as India.

Macron pointed to the EU AI Act, adopted in 2024, as evidence that Europe can regulate emerging technologies and AI while encouraging growth. In New Delhi, he claims that oversight would not stifle innovation but ensure responsible development, but not much evidence to back it up.

The French leader said that France is doubling the number of AI scientists and engineers it trains, with startups creating tens of thousands of jobs. He added in New Delhi that Europe aims to combine competitiveness with strong guardrails.

Macron also highlighted child protection as a G7 priority, arguing in New Delhi that children must be shielded from AI driven digital abuse. Europe, he said, intends to protect society while remaining open to investment and cooperation with India.

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Women driving tech innovation as Web Summit marks 10 years

Web Summit’s Women in Tech programme marked a decade of work in Qatar by highlighting steady progress in female participation across global technology sectors.

The Web Summit event recorded an increase in women-founded startups and reflected rising engagement in Qatar, where female founders reached 38 percent.

Leaders from the initiative noted how supportive networks, mentorship, and access to role models are reshaping opportunities for women in technology and entrepreneurship.

Speakers from IBM and other companies focused on the importance of AI skills in shaping the future workforce. They argued that adequate preparation depends on understanding how AI shapes everyday roles, rather than relying solely on technical tools.

IBM’s SkillsBuild platform continues to partner with universities, schools, and nonprofit groups to expand access to recognised AI credentials that can support higher earning potential and new career pathways.

Another feature of the event was its emphasis on inclusion as a driver of innovation. The African Women in Technology initiative, led by Anie Akpe, is working to offer free training in cybersecurity and AI so women in emerging markets can benefit from new digital opportunities.

These efforts aim to support business growth at every level, even for women operating in local markets, who can use technology to reach wider communities.

Female founders also used the platform to showcase new health technology solutions.

ScreenMe, a Qatari company founded by Dr Golnoush Golsharazi, presented its reproductive microbiome testing service, created in response to long-standing gaps in women’s health research and screening.

Organisers expressed confidence that women-led innovation will expand across the region, supported by rising investment and continuing visibility at major global events.

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Global coalition demands ban on AI-nudification tools over child-safety fears

More than 100 organisations have urged governments to outlaw AI-nudification tools after a surge in non-consensual digital images.

Groups such as Amnesty International, the European Commission, and Interpol argue that the technology now fuels harmful practices that undermine human dignity and child safety. Their concerns intensified after the Grok nudification scandal, where users created sexualised images from ordinary photographs.

Campaigners warn that the tools often target women and children instead of staying within any claimed adult-only environment. Millions of manipulated images have circulated across social platforms, with many linked to blackmail, coercion and child sexual abuse material.

Experts say the trauma caused by these AI images is no less serious because the abuse occurs online.

Organisations within the coalition maintain that tech companies already possess the ability to detect and block such material but have failed to apply essential safeguards.

They want developers and platforms to be held accountable and believe that strict prohibitions are now necessary to prevent further exploitation. Advocates argue that meaningful action is overdue and that protection of users must take precedence over commercial interests.

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Growing reliance on AI sparks worries for young users

Research from the UK Safer Internet Centre reveals nearly all young people aged eight to 17 now use artificial intelligence tools, highlighting how deeply the technology has entered daily life. Growing adoption has also increased reliance, with many teenagers using AI regularly for schoolwork, social interactions and online searches.

Education remains one of the main uses, with students turning to AI for homework support and study assistance. However, concerns about fairness and creativity have emerged, as some pupils worry about false accusations of misuse and reduced independent thinking.

Safety fears remain significant, especially around harmful content and privacy risks linked to AI-generated images. Many teenagers and parents worry the technology could be used to create inappropriate or misleading visuals, raising questions about online protection.

Emotional and social impacts are also becoming clear, with some young people using AI for personal advice or practising communication. Limited parental guidance and growing dependence suggest governments and schools may soon consider stronger oversight and clearer rules.

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TikTok accused of breaching EU digital safety rules

The European Commission has concluded that TikTok’s design breaches the Digital Services Act by encouraging compulsive use and failing to protect users, particularly children and teenagers.

Preliminary findings say the platform relies heavily on features such as infinite scroll, which automatically delivers new videos and makes disengagement difficult.

Regulators argue that such mechanisms place users into habitual patterns of repeated viewing rather than supporting conscious choice. EU officials found that safeguards introduced by TikTok do not adequately reduce the risks linked to excessive screen time.

Daily screen time limits were described as ineffective because alerts are easy to dismiss, even for younger users who receive automatic restrictions. Parental control tools were also criticised for requiring significant effort, technical knowledge and ongoing involvement from parents.

Henna Virkkunen, the Commission’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said addictive social media design can harm the development of young people. European law, she said, makes platforms responsible for the effects their services have on users.

Regulators concluded that compliance with the Digital Services Act would require TikTok to alter core elements of its product, including changes to infinite scroll, recommendation systems and screen break features.

TikTok rejected the findings, calling them inaccurate and saying the company would challenge the assessment. The platform argues that it already offers a range of tools, including sleep reminders and wellbeing features, to help users manage their time.

The investigation remains ongoing and no penalties have yet been imposed. A final decision could still result in enforcement measures, including fines of up to six per cent of TikTok’s global annual turnover.

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