Sexual abuse by algorithm must stop
Mark Speakman
NSW Leader of the Opposition
Alister Henskens
Shadow Attorney General
Felicity Wilson
Shadow Minister for Women
The NSW Coalition will introduce a Bill in Parliament to criminalise the production and/or distribution of sexually explicit deepfakes, following disturbing reports of female students, teachers and workers being digitally targeted across the state.
Deepfakes are AI-generated, highly realistic but false images, video, audio or text that falsely depict a real person doing or saying something they never did. In 2023, 98% of deepfake videos online were pornographic and 99% featured women.
Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said the Minns Labor Government has failed to keep pace with fast-moving technology, leaving women and girls exposed to vile and degrading abuse with no real consequences for perpetrators.
“This is a form of abuse, plain and simple. Women and girls are being targeted, violated, and humiliated by code. The emotional toll is devastating, victims are often left without recourse, knowing these fake images can live on the internet forever,” Mr Speakman said.
“Since the Labor Government has failed to confront this growing threat, the Coalition will lead the way with reform. Our laws make it clear, if you create or share sexually explicit deepfakes, you’ll face serious consequences.”
Shadow Attorney General Alister Henskens said the criminal law must modernise to ensure it delivers justice that reflects the scale of harm.
“We propose to update the Crimes Act to reflect the reality that if you digitally fake someone’s body, voice or text to degrade or control them, the law should recognise that you are committing a crime. If it’s not your body or voice, it’s not your right to control another person's autonomy. That principle must be written into NSW law,” Mr Henskens said.
Shadow Minister for Women Felicity Wilson said the Coalition is taking action where the Minns Labor Government has failed to act.
“This isn’t a niche issue, it’s happening in our schools, our workplaces, and our communities. Women and girls are being targeted through the weaponisation of AI, traumatised, and left without protection. In a digital age, they deserve strong, clear legal safeguards,” Ms Wilson said.
The NSW Coalition is introducing the Crimes Amendment (Deepfake Sexual Material) Bill 2025, which will amend the Crimes Act 1900 as follows:
- New offences for producing and/or distributing sexually explicit deepfakes.
- The offences to cover threats to share deepfakes without consent, including private sharing, not just online distribution.
- Court ordered removal and destruction of synthetic abuse material.
- A legal definition of deepfakes as generating or altering the image that falsely depicts a real person in a sexual context
The law must send a message that if you abuse someone with a deepfake, you’ll face serious consequences.
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