In a plea for legislative intervention, Cara Hunter, a member of the Northern Ireland Assembly representing East Londonderry under the SDLP banner, has called for urgent action against the proliferation of deepfake technology.

Hunter herself was subjected to this malicious digital manipulation just weeks ahead of the 2022 Assembly election, when a fabricated video purporting to show her in a compromising situation was widely circulated online.

The incident, which drew significant unwanted attention and abuse from the public, led Hunter to advocate in the Assembly for a robust framework to combat online violence, particularly against women.

Addressing her experiences, she emphasized that the threats posed by deepfakes are not merely personal but extend to the very fabric of democratic society.

The deepfake video, which was shared across thousands of smartphones via platforms like WhatsApp, planted seeds of mistrust and misinformation, she detailed.

Her call to action was directed at both Stormont’s Justice Minister Naomi Long and the UK government.

Hunter urged Minister Long to conduct a thorough review of existing laws pertaining to online violence against women and girls.

Further, she demanded a clear timeline for the introduction of legislation aimed at banning the creation and distribution of sexually explicit deepfake content.

The debate took place during a series of motions tabled by the SDLP Official Opposition, all focused on curbing discrimination and violence against women.

Hunter’s proposal highlighted that studies show over 90% of deepfake abuse targets women, thus underlining a gendered dimension to this form of digital harassment.

"Deepfakes manipulate digital content that appears real," she explained to her assembly colleagues.

"These deceptive visuals are used to humiliate and exploit, particularly singling out female victims."

Alliance MLA Connie Egan lauded Hunter’s courage in addressing such a personal issue publicly, and proposed an amendment to reinforce the legislative push against online abuse.

The amendment suggested collaboration between the First Minister and deputy First Minister with the UK government to tackle the issue comprehensively.

However, this amendment was ultimately rejected during the session.

In the absence of Justice Minister Naomi Long, who was indisposed, junior minister Pam Cameron responded to the discussion, acknowledging the significant harm caused by deepfakes.

She assured the assembly that the UK government is preparing to advance proposals to criminalize the creation of sexually explicit deepfake images, and indicated that there are plans to extend this offence to Northern Ireland contingent upon the agreement of Northern Ireland’s Executive and its Justice Committee.

As the situation develops, Hunter’s motion was successfully passed by the assembly, reinforcing the commitment to curbing this growing digital threat albeit without the supplementary amendment.

This legislative discussion signals an increasing awareness and response to the challenges posed by digital technologies in political and personal arenas.