Ofcom has said social media platforms should start implementing automated detection technology to stop the spread of revenge porn online.
The recommendation is part of the regulator’s Illegal Content Codes, which is being strengthened to include provisions designed to tackle the issue. It said that protecting women and girls online was now an “urgent” matter that major tech firms need to address in the short term.
In February, the government introduced an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill that orders tech firms to take down intimate images shared without a victim’s consent within 48 hours. It described the issue as a “national emergency” and pledged to halve the number of crimes of this nature over the next decade.
The UK’s Revenge Porn Helpline has recorded a staggering rise in its annual caseload in recent years, with the number of incidences jumping from 521 cases in 2015 to 22,264 cases in 2024, representing a massive multi-fold increase over the decade. An estimated 1.42% of...