# THE BIGGEST DEEPFAKE PORN WEBSITE IS NOW BLOCKED IN THE UK
DEEPFAKE PORN WEBSITES, CONSIDERED AMONG THE BIGGEST ONES, HAVE TAKEN ACTION IN RESPONSE TO LEGAL MEASURES TAKEN BY THE UK GOVERNMENT. FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF A NEW LAW CRIMINALIZING THE CREATION OF NONCONSENSUAL DEEPFAKES, TWO PROMINENT DEEPFAKE PORN WEBSITES HAVE IMPLEMENTED GEOGRAPHIC BLOCKS PREVENTING ACCESS FROM THE UNITED KINGDOM.
DATA FROM SIMILARWEB, A DIGITAL INTELLIGENCE COMPANY, SHOWS THAT THE BIGGEST DEEPFAKE PORN WEBSITE HAD 12 MILLION VISITORS GLOBALLY LAST MONTH, WHILE THE OTHER WEBSITE HAD 4 MILLION VISITORS. IN THE UK, THEY HAD AROUND 500,000 AND 50,000 VISITORS, RESPECTIVELY.
## SIGNIFICANT MOMENT IN THE FIGHT AGAINST DEEPFAKE ABUSE
ACADEMICS SUCH AS CLARE MCGLYNN, A PROFESSOR OF LAW AT DURHAM UNIVERSITY, REGARD THE MOVE AS A « HUGELY SIGNIFICANT MOMENT » IN THE FIGHT AGAINST DEEPFAKE ABUSE. THE RISING PRESENCE OF NONCONSENSUAL DEEPFAKE PORN WEBSITES AND APPS, WHICH MANIPULATE IMAGES TO CREATE INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT, HAS RAISED CONCERNS ABOUT THE IMPACT ON VICTIMS, ESPECIALLY WOMEN.
SINCE THE EMERGENCE OF DEEPFAKE TECHNOLOGY IN DECEMBER 2017, IT HAS BEEN PRIMARILY USED TO CREATE NONCONSENSUAL SEXUAL IMAGES, PARTICULARLY TARGETING WOMEN. THE TECHNOLOGY HAS EVOLVED AND BECOME MORE ACCESSIBLE, LEADING TO THE CREATION OF HUNDREDS OF DEEPFAKE WEBSITES AND APPS. EVEN SCHOOLCHILDREN HAVE BEEN CAUGHT USING DEEPFAKES TO CREATE INAPPROPRIATE CONTENT OF THEIR CLASSMATES.
## GEOGRAPHIC BLOCKS IN THE UK
THE BLOCKS ON THE DEEPFAKE WEBSITES IN THE UK WERE FIRST DISCOVERED TODAY, WITH NOTICES DISPLAYED ON THEIR LANDING PAGES INDICATING INACCESSIBILITY TO VISITORS FROM THE COUNTRY. WHILE THE NAMES OF THE WEBSITES ARE NOT MENTIONED TO AVOID PROMOTING ABUSIVE CONTENT, ONE OF THE WEBSITES BLOCKED IS CONSIDERED THE LARGEST DEEPFAKE PORN WEBSITE IN EXISTENCE TODAY.
THE MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE HOMEPAGE OF THE WEBSITE FOR UK VISITORS STATES THAT ACCESS IS DENIED DUE TO LEGAL OBLIGATIONS IN THE COUNTRY OR STATE. SIMILARLY, ANOTHER WEBSITE AND ITS APP HAVE IMPLEMENTED A GEOGRAPHIC RESTRICTION MESSAGE, SUGGESTING POSSIBLE WAYS TO BYPASS THE BLOCKS. IT IS UNCLEAR WHETHER THESE BLOCKS ARE TEMPORARY OR IN RESPONSE TO LEGAL ORDERS.
## REGULATORY MEASURES AND IMPACT
IT REMAINS UNCLEAR WHY THESE WEBSITES INTRODUCED GEOGRAPHIC BLOCKS AND WHETHER REGULATORY AUTHORITIES WERE INVOLVED IN THE DECISION. OFCOM, THE UK’S COMMUNICATIONS REGULATOR, HAS THE AUTHORITY TO TAKE ACTION AGAINST HARMFUL WEBSITES UNDER THE COUNTRY’S ONLINE SAFETY LAWS. HOWEVER, THESE POWERS ARE STILL BEING FINALIZED, AND OFCOM IS CURRENTLY ENGAGED IN CONSULTATIONS REGARDING THEM.
THESE RESTRICTIONS ARE LIKELY TO DETER A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF INDIVIDUALS IN THE UK FROM ACCESSING OR CREATING DEEPFAKE SEXUAL ABUSE CONTENT. THE IMPACT OF THESE BLOCKS IS EVIDENT FROM THE STATISTICS OF GLOBAL VISITORS TO THE WEBSITES, WITH A SIGNIFICANT PORTION ORIGINATING FROM THE UK.
REFERENCES:
– [ARSTECHNICA – UK SEES TO CRIMINALIZE CREATION OF SEXUALLY EXPLICIT AI DEEPFAKE IMAGES WITHOUT CONSENT](https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/04/uk-seeks-to-criminalize-creation-of-sexually-explicit-ai-deepfake-images-without-consent/)
– [WIRED – DEEPFAKE PORN IS OUT OF CONTROL](https://www.wired.com/story/deepfake-porn-is-out-of-control/)
– [THE CONVERSATION – WHY WE NEED TO MAKE IT A CRIME TO CREATE DEEPFAKE PORN](https://theconversation.com/deepfake-porn-why-we-need-to-make-it-a-crime-to-create-it-not-just-share-it-227177)
– [WIRED – FLORIDA TEENS ARRESTED FOR CREATING DEEPFAKE NUDES OF CLASSMATES](https://www.wired.com/story/florida-teens-arrested-deepfake-nudes-classmates/)
– [WIRED – THE UK IS POISED TO FORCE A BAD LAW ON THE INTERNET](https://www.wired.com/story/the-uk-is-poised-to-force-a-bad-law-on-the-internet/)
– [WIRED – THE UK’S CONTROVERSIAL ONLINE SAFETY ACT IS NOW LAW](https://www.wired.com/story/the-uks-controversial-online-safety-act-is-now-law/)
