Which? responds to the news that the government is planning to develop a deepfake detection initiative

Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said:

"The UK is in the grips of a scam epidemic - social media platforms are littered with convincing deepfakes designed to con people into parting with their hard-earned cash. 

"Under the Online Safety Act, platforms have duties to detect and remove fraudulent content, including deepfake scams, and the government's plan to develop a standard for identifying deepfakes could help them do this. For this new initiative to work, Ofcom should not hesitate to take action  - including robust fines - against companies who aren't playing their part. 

“Many deepfakes feature in paid-for scam ads. Ofcom is currently planning to introduce measures on scams ads no earlier than 2027, which will leave consumers at risk longer than is necessary. The government must step in and force Ofcom to implement its new rules as soon as possible."

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