UK Government Threatens Tech Bosses with Jail Over Non-Consensual Intimate Images
The UK government has proposed sweeping new legislation that would make senior technology executives personally liable — and potentially face imprisonment — if their platforms fail to remove non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours of being ordered to do so by the regulator Ofcom.
Background
The UK's Online Safety Act, which came into full effect in July 2025, established a framework for regulating harmful online content. Ofcom was empowered to issue enforcement notices to platforms, with fines of up to 10% of global turnover for non-compliance. However, critics argued that corporate fines alone were insufficient to drive meaningful change at the largest technology companies, whose revenues dwarf any potential penalty.
Key Developments
The government announced on 11 April 2026 that it would introduce an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill creating a new criminal offence for senior managers who fail to comply with an Ofcom enforcement notice to remove non-consensual intimate images within a 48-hour window. Non-compliant executives could face imprisonment, a fine, or both.
The announcement comes amid an ongoing Ofcom investigation into Elon Musk's X platform, launched in January 2026, over allegations that its AI chatbot Grok was being used to generate and share thousands of sexualised deepfake images of women and children — content that may constitute illegal material under UK law. Prime Minister Keir Starmer had previously warned: "If X cannot control Grok, we will — and we'll do it fast."
Technology Minister Liz Kendall framed the new measures as essential to protecting women and girls, stating: "Too many women have had their lives shattered by having their intimate images shared online without consent." The government has described the proposals as part of its commitment to "halve violence against women and girls in a decade."
Why It Matters
The move represents a significant escalation in the UK's approach to online safety regulation, shifting from corporate accountability to individual criminal liability. It places Britain at the forefront of a global debate about how to hold technology platforms — and their leaders — responsible for harmful content. The proposals have already sparked a transatlantic debate, with some US political figures criticising European regulatory approaches as censorship.
What's Next
The amendment will be debated in parliament in the coming weeks. If passed, it would give Ofcom a powerful new tool to compel compliance from even the largest global platforms. The Ofcom investigation into X over the Grok deepfake controversy is ongoing, and its outcome could be the first major test of the new regime.
Source: Reuters via Yahoo News
