In a significant move aimed at tackling the rising misuse of artificial intelligence technology, Northern Ireland has opened a public consultation on proposals to criminalise the creation and sharing of sexually explicit deepfake images of adults. This consultation, announced by Stormont Justice Minister Naomi Long, runs until October 6, 2025, and marks a crucial step in addressing a digital threat that has left many victims feeling vulnerable and violated.
Deepfakes are digitally altered images or videos where one person’s face is superimposed onto another’s, often without consent, creating false and explicit content. While plans to criminalise such acts have already been announced for England and Wales earlier in 2025, Northern Ireland currently lacks legislation to protect adults from this harmful practice.
Justice Minister Naomi Long described the creation and sharing of sexually explicit deepfake images as “abhorrent behaviour” with the potential to “have devastating consequences for those whose identities are misused, the overwhelming majority of whom are women.” She emphasized the severe emotional toll on victims, who often report feeling “embarrassed, humiliated, violated and unsafe,” with some suffering from anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, and even contemplating suicide.
“In short, this is an issue which can ruin lives, which is why we are proposing to criminalise the creation and sharing of sexually explicit deepfake images,” Long said. She framed deepfakes as “another form of sexual abuse and exploitation,” supplementing existing measures introduced in 2022 to combat downblousing, upskirting, and cyberflashing. These new offences are part of a broader strategy to protect people from “intolerable sexually motivated behaviours” and to eradicate violence against women and girls.
The Justice Department’s consultation is comprehensive, considering factors like the motivation behind the offences, whether cases should be heard in Crown or magistrates' courts, and the range of sentences judges should be empowered to impose. Long also highlighted the increasing complexity of crimes investigated by the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI), underscoring the need for adequate resources to ensure offenders are brought to justice.
One of the most vocal advocates for this change is East Londonderry MLA Cara Hunter of the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP), who herself was a victim of a deepfake video. Her face was digitally superimposed onto another person’s body in a sexually explicit video circulated widely on WhatsApp and social media during the 2022 Stormont elections. Despite widespread circulation, the perpetrator was never identified.
Hunter has campaigned tirelessly for stronger legal protections. She described the experience of victims as “incredibly dehumanising and humiliating,” often impacting their jobs, relationships, and day-to-day life, while leading to mental health challenges. “These fake images can ruin lives,” she said. “I strongly welcome this public consultation that must lead to serious consequences for anyone involved in the creation and sharing of sexual deepfake images.”
She urged a victim-centred approach to legislation and called on the public to participate in the consultation, emphasizing the urgency of the matter. “The level of urgency around AI harm, just speaking from my own experience, I think we weren’t seeing the same energy and urgency it requires,” Hunter noted. She also advocated for retrospective application of the law and for offences to be tried in Crown Court, arguing that “we need to be firm and tough with laws around deepfake creation and I think that perpetrators need to pay a very strong price.”
Other voices in the community have echoed the call for urgent action. Sonya McMullan from Women’s Aid Northern Ireland welcomed the consultation but stressed that technology companies must be held accountable for facilitating the creation of deepfakes. “This is just another weapon that can be utilised by perpetrators to further violate their victim,” she said on BBC Radio Ulster’s Good Morning Ulster programme. “Creating harmful content, especially when it’s an intimate image of an individual, can create so much harm.”
McMullan highlighted the trauma deepfakes cause, noting that “because people don’t know what’s real and what’s not real anymore – once it’s out there it’s out there.” This uncertainty adds a layer of distress for victims, complicating their ability to reclaim their identity and privacy.
DUP MLA Diane Forsythe also welcomed the consultation, pointing out how the law has lagged behind technological advances exploited to harass, intimidate, or damage reputations. “This activity is deeply harmful, often targeting women and young people, and can have devastating emotional and psychological consequences for victims,” she said.
Joanne Barnes, CEO of the sexual abuse counselling service Nexus, underscored the growing problem of non-contact sexual abuse, which includes deepfakes. “We’re seeing the incidences of non-contact sexual abuse growing across our population and society and deepfakes are one such example of that,” she said. Barnes called the legislation “really important” and urged swift action to criminalise the creation and sharing of such images, warning of the shame and blame victims often carry in silence.
While the current consultation focuses on adults, Hunter stressed the need for similar protections for children against harmful online actors, highlighting a broader concern about safeguarding vulnerable populations in the digital age.
The consultation invites public feedback on the proposed criminalisation and sentencing options, aiming to strike a balance between effective enforcement and protecting victims’ rights. It represents a pivotal moment for Northern Ireland as it seeks to modernise its legal framework to confront emerging technological threats.
As artificial intelligence continues to evolve, so too does the potential for its misuse. Northern Ireland’s initiative to criminalise the creation and sharing of sexually explicit deepfake images marks a proactive stance against digital abuse, aiming to protect individuals from the profound personal and psychological harms caused by this new form of exploitation.
