Delays to new sexual offences laws focused on AI
BBCChanges to sexual offences laws to help combat the use of artificial intelligence (AI) have been delayed.
Officials in Guernsey said earlier this year the Committee for Home Affairs (HA) had been working towards a March or April 2026 debate.
But now, the committee is "on track" to publish a policy letter before the end of the year.
The policy letter from HA was aimed at combating "the use of AI in sexual offending" around crimes including voyeurism and where AI has been used to create indecent images.
During the sentencing of former Chief Minister Jonathan Le Tocq, crown advocate Chris Dunford said the defendant could not be punished for creating a number of pornographic deepfake images of women as it was not currently illegal in Guernsey.
In November last year, HA announced it would be looking to make changes to the Sexual Offences Law 2020 to look at the use of AI in sexual offending.
Under the proposed changes, deepfake creation - where the image is intimate and no consent is obtained - would become an offence.
Creating or taking intimate images without consent will also be come an offence, alongside sharing these images.
Other new offences will include:
- Cyberflashing
- Requesting deepfakes
- Possession of indecent cartoons or drawings of children
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