Source: SBS News

SBS News reports that the Australian government is introducing new laws and restrictions to specifically target the creation and sharing of abusive deepfake material, particularly non-consensual intimate images. The new legislation is designed to close loopholes in existing laws and provide stronger protections for victims of this form of technologically-enabled abuse. A key feature of the new rules is that they will criminalize not only the distribution of such material but also its creation, a move intended to tackle the problem at its source.

The new powers will be enforced by Australia's eSafety Commissioner, who will be able to issue take-down notices to platforms hosting the abusive content and impose significant penalties on individuals who create or share it. The government has framed this as a world-leading initiative to combat the growing threat of generative AI being used for harassment and abuse. By focusing on both creation and distribution, the laws aim to create a stronger deterrent and make it clearer that generating such harmful content is a serious criminal offense.