15 female MPs demand crackdown on deepfake porn
Fifteen female members of the Dutch Parliament from parties across the political spectrum have joined forces to demand stronger action against AI generated deepfake pornography and other forms of online sexual abuse. According to reporting cited by NL Times, as many as one in four female members of the Tweede Kamer have been affected. Several politicians, including Caroline van der Plas, Ingrid Coenradie and Esther Ouwehand, have had their faces used without consent in fabricated pornographic videos that were subsequently distributed online and viewed tens of thousands of times.
The MPs are calling for three main measures. They want a dedicated national hotline where victims can report deepfake sexual abuse and immediately file a police complaint. They are also demanding strict enforcement of the Netherlands’ upcoming ban on so called undressing apps from the moment it takes effect on December 1. Finally, they are calling for a nationwide awareness campaign aimed particularly at educating young people about the consequences of creating and distributing sexually explicit deepfakes without consent.
The politicians stressed that enforcement alone will not solve the problem. Ingrid Coenradie argued that prevention and education are particularly important, saying young people need to understand that producing this material creates real victims. Several MPs described the psychological impact of discovering that fabricated sexual content featuring their likeness was circulating online. Coenradie said the experience created a feeling of insecurity because victims cannot know where the material has spread or who has seen it.
The initiative also highlights the broader issue of support for victims. Queeny Rajkowski noted that members of Parliament have access to substantial assistance when targeted online, but argued that ordinary women and girls should have access to comparable protection. Victims are currently able to report harmful online material to the Dutch organization Offlimits, which can assist in efforts to have the content removed from the internet.
Overall, the MPs are seeking a combination of stronger law enforcement, easier reporting mechanisms, faster removal of abusive material and public education to prevent AI generated sexual abuse from becoming normalized.
