The Austrian government has announced decisive steps to combat sexualized deepfakes and digital forms of violence. Coalition ministers, including Women’s Minister Eva-Maria Holzleitner (SPÖ) and Justice Minister Anna Sporrer (SPÖ), confirmed that a bill will be drafted and introduced in the near future, establishing criminal liability for the creation and distribution of abusive deepfakes without the consent of the person depicted.
Key measures the government is preparing:
A new criminal offense — the creation of non-consensual sexualized deepfakes (including “nude” images and videos) will be explicitly prohibited and punishable by law.
Stricter accountability for online platforms — they will be required to remove such content more promptly and prevent its spread.
Integration of measures into the National Action Plan on Violence Against Women.
Justice Minister Anna Sporrer emphasized that her ministry is already working on the precise wording of the new criminal offense. According to her, the government wants to “move quickly” — ideally with the law entering into force still this year.
Austria’s initiative fits within a broader European trend: the EU recently strengthened its rules under the AI Act and the Omnibus package, banning the generation of non-consensual intimate content using artificial intelligence. Austrian authorities are actively referencing European legislation while stressing the need for national supplements to effectively protect citizens.
Experts note that the problem has reached alarming proportions: women and girls are most often the victims of deepfake pornography, and the technology allows realistic content to be created in a matter of seconds.
The government also plans to strengthen media literacy among the population and improve technical capabilities for detecting fakes. Details of the new law are expected in the coming weeks.