Bavaria pushes for severe punishments against harmful deepfakes.
Artificial intelligence enables the circulation of misleading images online, often used to attribute false statements to politicians. Deepfakes can also lead to the spread of pornographic content, particularly targeting women and girls. In response, Bavaria seeks to enhance penalties for producing and distributing such manipulated media.
During a recent meeting in Munich, the Bavarian government endorsed an initiative to strengthen legal safeguards against deepfakes. If implemented, these changes would impose significant fines and imprisonment for creating or sharing computer-generated images, audios, or videos. The Bundesrat hopes to introduce a new section 201b in the Criminal Code, designed to address abusive deepfakes.
The proposed provision carries the potential for sentences of up to two years in prison or fines. Serious cases, such as the dissemination of pornographic deepfakes, could face sentences of up to five years' imprisonment. Deepfakes created "in the exercise of overriding legitimate interests" for artistic, research, or journalistic purposes would be excluded.
Research indicates a rise in the number of people targeted by deepfakes, especially females. These manipulated images and audio files are frequently used for cyberbullying, in revenge porn, and to distort public opinions. Over 90% of these offensive deepfakes relate to pornography and nudity.
Thanks to advances in artificial intelligence, generating deepfakes has become easier than ever before. Deepfakes pose a threat to democracy, as demonstrated through fabricated statements or altered conversation recordings in the media sphere. The proposed law would also protect against these malicious practices.
Bavaria has raised concerns about deepfakes during meetings of justice ministers in 2021 and 2023. Although the federal government has been slow to respond, it's hoped that the impending amendments will effectively address this growing issue.
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The Federal Council of Germany has shown interest in Bavaria's efforts to combat harmful deepfakes.
The Federal Government is under pressure to implement stricter measures against the production and distribution of deepfakes, particularly in relation to pornography and women's rights.
If approved, the new section 201b in the Criminal Code would apply nationwide, not just in Bavaria, aiming to combat deepfakes across Germany.
Munich, as a hub for technology and innovation, has become a target for malicious actors using artificial intelligence for bullying and exploitation, especially against women and girls.
Source: www.ntv.de
