Sextortion laws will see Aussies face $111,000 fine if they post or threaten to post intimate images

Australians who post or threaten to post revenge porn online will now face harsher penalties thanks to new sextortion laws.

It’s the technology that was used to paste Hollywood actor Scarlett Johansson’s face into violent pornography using an artificial intelligence algorithm.

But now ex-partners and even strangers posting revenge porn images of people without their consent, including so-called AI inspired “deep fakes”, could now face fines of $111,000 in Australia.

The tough new fines are included in Australia’s new Online Safety Act, which aims to better protect victims of image based abuse.

Scarlett Johansson has previously spoken out about the use of “deep fakes” in TheWashington Post.

“Clearly this doesn’t affect me as much because people assume it’s not actually me in a porno, however demeaning it is,’’ she said.

”I think it’s a useless pursuit, legally, mostly because the internet is a vast wormhole of darkness that eats itself.

“There are far more disturbing things on the dark web than this, sadly. I think it’s up to an individual to fight for their own right to their image, claim damages, etc.

”It’s a fruitless pursuit for me but a different situation than someone who loses a job over their image being used like that.

”Nothing can stop someone from cutting and pasting my image or anyone else’s onto a different body and making it look as eerily realistic as desired. There are basically no rules on the internet because it is an abyss that remains virtually lawless, withstanding US policies which, again, only apply here.”

Australia’s eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman Grant revealed today it’s an issue Australia now plans to tackle, revealing the tough fines today in a speech to the 13th Australian Cyber Conference.

“Aside from facing possible criminal charges in their jurisdiction, eSafety can seek penalties of up to $111,000 if they post or threaten to post an intimate image - including those that threaten sextortion,” Ms Inman Grant said.

Actress Scarlett Johansson has spoken out against deep fakes in the porn industry. Picture: Jay Maidment/Marvel Studios

“The changes will also cover image-based abuse via new types of technologies as they become more popular in the future such as deepfakes and immersive technologies – all tech trends and challenges we have previously identified.”

The new rules will come into force on January 23, 2022.

Image-based abuse affects an estimated one in 10 Australians and according to experts it disproportionately harms younger women from the ages of 18 to 25, where the incidence is as high as one in five.

“Under our updated Image-Based Abuse Scheme, the time online platforms get to take down image-based abuse material after eSafety issues a removal notice, is reduced from 48 hours to 24 hours,” Ms Inman Grant said.

“Under the new rules, eSafety can also name and shame platforms which allow publication of non-consensual shared intimate images on two or more occasions in a 12-month period and are in breach of their own terms of service.

“This is a way to call out platforms that aren’t doing enough to combat image-based abuse.”

Originally published as Sextortion laws will see Aussies face $111,000 fine if they post or threaten to post intimate images