Top executives of adult entertainment companies may face imprisonment if they do not remove private images shared without consent. The government has proposed changes to the Crime and Policing Bill to target online abuse towards women and girls, holding senior management accountable if their platforms do not comply with Ofcom’s directives to delete unauthorized images without a valid reason.
Additionally, the distribution of pornographic material depicting incest and adults portraying underage individuals will be outlawed. Minister Jess Phillips from the Home Office emphasized the exploitation of women by tech companies and offenders profiting from illicit content. She emphasized the severe consequences these actions have on victims and stressed the urgency to hold those responsible accountable.
The new regulations will impose personal liability on technology executives if their platforms do not adhere to Ofcom’s enforcement rulings to remove explicit images shared without consent. Failure to comply without a valid excuse could lead to imprisonment, fines, or both for senior executives.
Furthermore, the possession or dissemination of content depicting incest among family members and simulated underage sexual activities involving step or foster relatives will be prohibited. An additional amendment will criminalize the sharing and possession of pornographic material where adults pretend to be minors, carrying a maximum penalty of five years’ imprisonment for distribution.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall expressed the government’s commitment to protecting women and girls online and preventing the dissemination of abusive content by tech firms. She highlighted the swift actions taken to remove non-consensual intimate images and the introduction of measures that can hold senior tech leaders criminally responsible for non-compliance with regulatory requirements.
Baroness Bertin, Lead reviewer of the Independent Pornography Review, praised the government’s initiative to address harmful pornographic content, such as incest and simulated child abuse, which she described as damaging and contributing to the normalization of abusive behavior.
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