Sharing intimate images without consent was already a crime in England and Wales. Since 6 February 2026, creating a sexual deepfake of someone without consent is one too, under changes made by the Data (Use and Access) Act 2025.
What changed
The new offence covers intentionally creating a “purported sexual image” of a person, one that appears to show them nude or in a sexual act, without their consent and without a reasonable belief that they consented. It covers AI deepfakes and ordinary digital editing.
What it covers
- Creating the image yourself.
- Asking, paying or causing someone else to create it.
- AI-generated images and edited photos alike.
What it means for creators
Creators are frequent targets of fakes made from their public photos. In England and Wales, the person who made or ordered a fake can now face prosecution, not only the people who share it. Removal still works through the platform, search engines and, where your own photo was used, copyright.
