The UK government has announced proposed legislation that would require tech platforms to remove intimate images shared without consent within 48 hours. The move treats such abuse with the same seriousness as child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and terrorist content.

Key Details of the Proposal

• Platforms failing to comply could face fines of up to 10% of global revenue or have their services blocked in the UK.
• Victims would only need to flag an image once, rather than reporting to multiple platforms individually.
• Once removed, companies would be required to block re-uploads of the same content.
• Guidance will also be provided to internet service providers to help block access to rogue websites hosting illegal content, complementing the Online Safety Act.

Government Statements

• Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the measure as part of an "ongoing battle" with tech providers to protect victims.“A victim doesn’t have to do a sort of whack-a-mole chasing wherever this image is next going up.”
• He highlighted that platforms already handle terrorist content, showing the mechanism is feasible. Enforcement will involve a mix of oversight bodies and criminal investigation, though prison sentences for tech executives are not expected.
• Technology Secretary Liz Kendall emphasized accountability, stating:"The days of tech firms having a free pass are over… no woman should have to chase platform after platform, waiting days for an image to come down."

Context and Rationale

• Women, girls, and LGBT individuals are disproportionately affected by Intimate Image Abuse (IIA).
• A July 2025 government report found that young men and boys are frequently targeted for financial sexual extortion, sometimes called “sextortion.”
• A Parliamentary report from May 2025 noted a 20.9% increase in reports of intimate image abuse in 2024.
• The announcement follows a standoff with X (formerly Twitter) in January, where the AI tool Grok generated sexualized images of real women, prompting removal of the functionality.
• February legislation also made non-consensual deepfake images illegal in the UK.

Implications

If passed, the law would streamline reporting and enforcement, reduce re-victimization of abuse survivors, and create stronger legal consequences for platforms that fail to protect users from non-consensual intimate images. It represents a continuation of the UK’s wider online safety agenda, particularly for AI-generated or manipulated content.

This legislation signals the government’s commitment to holding tech companies accountable for user safety, mirroring global debates about platform responsibility in the digital age.