Irish MEP calls on United Nations to act on rise of sexual deepfakes

Midlands-North-West MEP Maria Walsh has called on the United Nations (UN) to take urgent global action to tackle the growing problem of sexual deepfakes targeting women and girls.

During a meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres in New York City, MEP Walsh urged the international body to establish a taskforce aimed at eliminating the creation and distribution of non-consensual deepfake images and videos.

The meeting took place while Walsh was attending the 70th session of the United Nations Commission on the Status of Women as part of an official mission from the European Parliament.

In her proposal to the UN, MEP Walsh outlined three key actions she believes are necessary to address the issue. These include formally recognising sexual deepfakes as a form of gender-based violence, establishing a high-level UN taskforce to coordinate international action, and introducing universal standards for technology platforms to ensure the rapid removal of deepfake content.

She also called for stronger reporting systems for victims and measures to prevent the monetisation of artificial intelligence tools used to create exploitative content.

READ MORE: EU action needed as rising energy prices threaten Mayo households, says MEP

Speaking after the meeting, Walsh said the issue is already causing serious harm across the world.

“I have travelled from Ireland to the UN with one clear message: deepfakes are destroying the lives of young girls and women across the world,” she said. “We have failed to protect victims to date, and we now need coordinated international action to end the weaponisation of deepfake technology.”

The MEP warned that the technology allows anyone with basic equipment to create explicit content using a single image.

“At this very moment, anyone with a laptop and a single photograph can create a sexual deepfake of a woman in minutes and spread it across the internet for millions to see,” she said. “The damage to reputations, careers and personal safety can be immediate and devastating.”

Walsh also highlighted the scale of the problem, noting that the vast majority of victims are women.

“Women and girls are overwhelmingly the victims. Ninety-six per cent of deepfakes online are pornographic and 99 per cent of victims are women,” she said. “This is not just a technology issue – it is a gender-based violence issue. In fact, I believe it is the next frontier of violence against women.”

READ MORE: 'We need to take back control,' to protect Mayo seaweed harvesting

She said the UN has a crucial role in bringing governments, technology companies and civil society together to address the problem.

“This issue crosses borders, and no single country can solve it alone,” Walsh said. “If we act now, we can ensure that the digital future is safer, fairer and more respectful for women and girls everywhere.”