Helen Clark Foundation's submission on Deepfake Digital Harm and Exploitation Bill

The Deepfake Digital Harm and Exploitation Bill recently passed its first reading. Our report on Addressing Sexual Violence in New Zealand highlighted the significant harm from sexually explicit deepfakes and recommended closing gaps in our legislation so that deepfakes are treated in the same way as "real" intimate images. This Bill, with one small change, would achieve that.

The Social Services and Community Committee is accepting submissions on the Bill until 19 June.

The Helen Clark Foundation's submission:

• outlined the serious harms caused by sexually
• explicit deepfakes;
• highlighted the gap in treatment between deepfake and "real" intimate images under current New Zealand law; and- recommended that the Bill be passed, with an amendment to ensure that the HDCA covers intimate deepfakes made with consent but shared without consent.

You can see our submission here.