Observed Signal · Mar 22, 2026 · Policy Proposal · Source: t3n · Impact: 3/5 · Sentiment: Neutral
German Justice Minister to Propose Deepfake Law
A deepfake scandal involving presenter Collien Fernandes has reignited calls in Germany to strengthen laws against sexualized digital violence. Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig announced she will present a draft bill this spring to better protect victims, proposing to criminalize creation and distribution of pornographic deepfakes, enable victims to have offending accounts suspended, and permit retention of IP addresses for up to three months to support enforcement. The case prompted public protests and broad political condemnation; Berlin Interior Senator Iris Spranger, Green politician Ricarda Lang and NGOs have urged faster removal of degrading images and stricter penalties. Hateaid’s co-managing director Josephine Ballon said a ban on creating deepfakes could help remove abusive apps from the market. The measures align with a coalition agreement to reform cybercriminal law and have received wide political support.
A government policy proposal to criminalize and require removal of pornographic deepfakes affects platform content-moderation, legal compliance and enforcement practices for online platforms operating in Germany and the EU.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- German Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said she will present a bill this spring to protect against digital sexualized violence.
- Planned measures include criminalizing the production and distribution of pornographic deepfakes and enabling victims to have accounts suspended.
- Proposal would allow platforms to retain IP addresses for up to three months to aid enforcement.
- The case of Collien Fernandes, who says fake nude images circulated under her name, triggered protests and renewed political pressure.
- Politicians including Berlin Interior Senator Iris Spranger and Green politician Ricarda Lang publicly demanded faster removal of degrading images and closure of legal gaps.
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Germany proposes law against digital violence and deepfakes
Germany’s Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig has presented a draft law to more effectively punish and prevent digital violence, including the creation and distribution of sexualized deepfakes. The proposal would introduce three new criminal offences covering violations of intimate privacy via images, deceptive content such as deepfakes that violate personality rights, and unauthorized digital surveillance (e.g., cyberstalking). The draft also aims to make civil remedies easier for victims, including faster removal of illegal material and court-ordered account suspensions. The move follows public debate sparked by the Collien Fernandes case and is backed by a Bitkom survey showing broad public support: 80% favor stricter prosecution of non-consensual intimate material, 81% want platforms legally obliged to review and remove reports, and 25% of respondents report having experienced digital violence (43% among 16–29-year-olds). The bill must pass cabinet approval before entering the parliamentary process.
EU moves to ban nudifier deepfake apps
The EU Parliament has voted to ban so-called "nudifier" applications that use AI to generate or alter images and videos to depict sexually explicit activity or intimate body parts of an identifiable person without consent. The move responds in part to a recent "Grok" scandal and public outrage around AI-generated sexual imagery, including protests in Germany after prominent cases such as Collien Fernandes, who has reported fake nude images circulated under her name. Separately, Germany’s federal justice minister Stefanie Hubig plans a national draft law to criminalize production of pornographic deepfakes, allow victims to request account takedowns and permit short-term IP-address retention. Experts cited in the article warn of severe psychological harm to victims of AI sexualized imagery.
Swiss Federal Council Backs Regulation of AI Deepfake Tools
On 21 May 2026 the Swiss Federal Council supported a motion by Raphaël Mahaim (Greens/VD) calling for regulation of providers of generative AI whose tools can produce sexualized deepfake content. The proposal requires providers to assess risks and harms from sexualized deepfakes, implement protective measures when their systems can generate such content, and submit to review by a control body that can evaluate risk assessments and impose sanctions if necessary. The Federal Council cited examples including the AI tool "Grok" (integrated into platform X) allegedly producing sexualized images of women and children. The motion now goes to the National Council for a decision. The article also notes an earlier March motion from Council of States member Fabio Regazzi requesting a national strategy to counter misuse of images, with special attention to women, adolescents and children.
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