New law could see tech firms fined over non-consensual intimate images shared online

The Prime Minister said it is the latest step being taken in the “21st century battle against violence against women and girls” online NewsUKHome NewsNew law could see tech firms fined over non-consensual intimate images shared onlineThe Prime Minister said it is the latest step being taken in the “21st century battle against violence against women and girls” onlineAine Fox Wednesday 18 February 2026 22:46 GMTBookmarkCommentsGo to commentsBookmark popoverRemoved from bookmarksClose popoverElon Musk’s X restricts Grok photo editing amid concerns about sexualised imagesYour support helps us to tell the storyRead moreSupport NowFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreTechnology firms face stringent new regulations as the government tables an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill. The bill will mandate the removal of non-consensual intimate images online within 48 hours of being reported. Failure to comply could result in substantial fines or services being blocked in the UK.Sir Keir Starmer said this is the latest step in the "21st century battle against violence against women and girls" online as he vowed to put tech firms “on notice.Sir Keir said: “As director of public prosecutions, I saw first-hand the unimaginable, often lifelong pain and trauma violence against women and girls causes. As Prime Minister, I will leave no stone unturned in the fight to protect women from violence and abuse.“The online world is the front line of the 21st century battle against violence against women and girls. That’s why my government is taking urgent action: against chatbots and ‘nudification’ tools.“Today we are going further, putting companies on notice so that any non-consensual image is taken down in under 48 hours.“Violence against women and girls has no place in our society, and I will not rest until it is rooted out.”Failure to comply could result in substantial fines or services being blocked in the UK (Dominic Lipinski/PA)The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (Dsit), said the Government wants to ensure victims only need to report an image once for it to be removed across multiple platforms, and automatically deleted if there is a new upload.Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the days of tech firms “having a free pass are over”.She said: “No woman should have to chase platform after platform, waiting days for an image to come down. Under this government, you report once and you’re protected everywhere.“The internet must be a space where women and girls feel safe, respected, and able to thrive.”Minister for violence against women and girls Alex Davies-Jones said the change in the law would mean “tech platforms can no longer drag their feet” in dealing with such online abuse and harmful content.The Government said plans are also being considered by communications regulator Ofcom for intimate images shared without a victim’s consent to be classed similarly to child sexual abuse and terrorism content, meaning they would be digitally marked and automatically removed if someone tried to repost them.Dsit said it would publish guidance for internet providers on how they should block access to sites hosting such content, targeting what it termed “rogue websites” which might fall outside the parameters of the Online Safety Act.The Government has also recently vowed to close legal loopholes which have allowed chatbots to create deepfake nude images, and is planning further curbs on social media.It follows a war of words between ministers and Elon Musk earlier this year, after his Grok AI chatbot – embedded into the social media site X – was used widely to make fake nude images of women.More aboutKeir StarmerPrime MinisterJoin our commenting forumJoin thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their repliesCommentsMost popularPopular videosBulletinRead next