UK Proposes 48-Hour Deadline for Tech Firms to Remove Non-Consensual Intimate Images

The UK government is proposing a new law requiring tech companies to remove intimate images shared without consent within 48 hours. The measure aims to treat intimate image abuse (IIA) with the same seriousness as child sexual abuse material and terrorist content. Non-compliance could result in fines of up to 10% of a company’s global revenue or blocking of services in the UK. Victims would only need to report an image once, and platforms would be required to prevent its re-upload. The law also guides internet service providers on blocking access to rogue websites hosting illegal content. Women, girls, and LGBT people are disproportionately affected, while young men are often victims of financial sexual extortion, also called ‘sextortion.’ Reports of IIA increased by 20.9% in 2024. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer highlighted the lifelong trauma caused by violence against women and girls, and pledged action against AI tools generating non-consensual images. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall emphasized that tech companies can no longer ignore their responsibilities. This follows the UK’s February legislation criminalizing non-consensual deepfake images and government interventions against AI tools such as Grok, which produced explicit images of real women without consent.