CAMPAIGNERS criticised the government’s proposals on image-based abuse as being not meaningful enough today.

The government announced today that new changes to the Online Safety Act would make image-based abuse, such as threats to share intimate images without consent, a priority offence.

The new proposal requires tech companies to proactively remove and stop this material appearing on their platforms, or risk facing fines.

Victims Minister Alex Davies-Jones said the announcement “sends a clear message to those companies who turn a blind eye to such heinous content on their platforms — remove it without delay or face the full force of the law.”

But End Violence Against Women (EVAW) point out that image-based abuse is already a priority offence under the law. 

They criticised the changes as “administrative,” containing no substantive measures that would strengthen the law or have any meaningful impact on survivors.

EVAW head of policy and campaigns Rebecca Hitchen said: “While we welcome this focus on tackling intimate image abuse, given victims currently have so few routes to justice and support, this announcement is similar to a systems software update — necessary, administrative, but with no tangible changes as a result.

“However, it is reassuring to see government publicly ramp up pressure on the tech companies that facilitate and profit from abuse, but it remains to be seen as to whether these hugely powerful companies will really have their feet held to the fire, or instead shrug off the minimal attempts to constrain them.”

Along with campaign group #NotYourPorn, expert Professor Clare McGlynn and Glamour magazine, EVAW are calling on the government to introduce an image-based abuse law.

Such a law would strengthen criminal laws about creating, taking and sharing intimate images without consent, including sexually explicit “deep fakes,” created by AI.

They are also calling for the improvement of civil laws for survivors to take action against perpetrators and tech companies, and for the funding of specialist services to provide support to survivors of image-based abuse.

The campaigners also pushing for the creation of an online abuse commission, to champion victims’ rights and hold tech companies accountable for image-based abuse.