NSW government prohibits production / distribution of sexually explicit deepfake content

The New South Wales government recently passed amendments to the Crimes Act 1900 through the Crimes Amendment (Intimate Images and Audio Material) Bill 2025 on 18 September. This new legislation criminalises the production of sexually explicit deepfakes that aim to mimic real individuals, imposing a penalty of up to three years in prison. Additionally, the law makes it a crime to share or threaten to share such images, even if the individual did not create them, also punishable by up to three years’ imprisonment.

Furthermore, the amendments extend to the non-consensual creation, recording, and distribution of sexually explicit audio, whether it is real or designed to sound like a specific, identifiable person. Prior to these changes, the law already prohibited the recording or distribution of intimate images without consent, as well as blackmail involving such images. However, AI-generated content was not previously addressed until these recent amendments were enacted. New South Wales Premier Chris Minns emphasised that there is no tolerance for gender-based abuse in the state, highlighting the importance of these legislative changes in protecting women from this harmful form of exploitation.