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Deepfakes are highly realistic, digitally manipulated visual content. Videos, images and audio are created using sophisticated AI tools, making them indistinguishable from reality.
New-generation AI tools have made it easier to create illegal sexual content through apps known as “nudifier apps.” They use generative AI to create fake nude images of real people without their consent, leveraging a database of online images to produce realistic but unauthorised content.
One in three deepfake tools can create free, non-consensual pornographic material in under 25 minutes. Deepfake pornography accounts for 98 per cent of all deepfake videos online, with 94 per cent of the targets being women, a study by Security Hero reveals.
On 7 May, the European Parliament and the Commission agreed to prohibit “nudifier apps” as part of the Digital Omnibus on AI. The ban applies to all deployers of AI systems, organisations, or individuals who intend to create video, images, or audio for sexually abusive purposes. Companies have until 2 December 2026 to comply.
Prior to the ban, deepfakes and AI-assisted sexual online material fell under a broader set of rules, including the AI Act, the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and Digital Service Act (DSA), without specific provisions.
This time Europe is giving a clear signal: “nudifier apps” are a serious form of sexual digital abuse that need to be addressed through specific provisions before they are placed on the market.
Do you want to know how the EU protects citizens from online deepfakes? Ask the Euronews AI chatbot!