Australia Implements Legislation Against AI-Generated Deepfakes
A government crackdown on sexually explicit digital material.
The sharing of non-consensual “deepfake” sexually explicit material is now illegal in Australia.
This move has been welcomed by the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), which states that the specific laws will strike the right balance between targeting the dangers of artificial intelligence (AI) without hindering the development of AI in Australia.
The Criminal Code Amendment (Deepfake Sexual Material) Bill 2024 will impose serious criminal penalties on those who share sexually explicit material without consent, including material created using artificial intelligence or other technology.
In a statement, the office of Attorney General Mark Dreyfus said that sharing digitally created and altered sexually explicit material without consent is a damaging and distressing form of abuse, primarily targeted towards women and girls, perpetuating harmful gender stereotypes and contributing to gender-based violence.
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AIIA CEO Simon Bush emphasized the importance of balanced online laws, especially concerning AI, to avoid sweeping regulations.
“The AIIA has always advocated for a balanced approach to AI regulation,” he stated.
Mr. Bush expressed hope that the new law would build trust in AI rather than skepticism.
“I am worried about surveys showing Australia’s fear of AI and slow adoption, putting the Australian economy at risk,” he added.
“This is why we are pleased to see the government taking quick action to update laws and ensure citizen trust in technologies vital to the nation’s digital economy.”
The bill will enhance existing Commonwealth Criminal Code offenses and introduce a new aggravated criminal offense to address those using technologies to create or alter sexually explicit material (such as deepfakes) for non-consensual online sharing.
These offenses carry serious criminal penalties of up to six years in prison for sharing non-consensual deepfake sexually explicit material, with an aggravated offense of seven years’ imprisonment for creating and sharing deepfakes without consent.
