FOI 363686

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION REQUEST REFERENCE NO: 363686

I write in connection with your request for information which was received on 3^rd October 2024. Please find below the response to your request:

1.Between 31^st January 2024 and 30th September 2024, how many reports did your police force receive alleging the offence in Section 66B of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 of sharing a photograph or film which appears to show another person in an intimate state without consent, commonly known as 'fake porn' or 'deepfake porn.' Such images have been digitally manipulated to look like someone else without their consent. Please only include reports of 'deepfake porn' or 'fake porn' where an image has been digitally altered to make it sexually explicit and NOT other intimate image abuse offences. Please can you tell me:

1. The number of alleged offences.
2. The number of alleged victims.
3. The sex and age of victim(s). Where you are unable to provide exact age please state whether the alleged victim is over 18 years of age or under 18 years of age.
4. The number of perpetrators.

2. Between 31st January 2024 and 30th September 2024, how many times did your police force charge someone under Section 66B of the Sexual Offences Act 2003 of sharing a photograph or film which appears to show another person in an intimate state without consent, commonly known as 'fake porn' or 'deepfake porn.' Such images have been digitally manipulated to look like someone else without their consent. Please only include cases of 'deepfake porn' or 'fake porn' where an image has been digitally altered to make it sexually explicit and NOT other intimate image abuse offences. Please can you tell me:

1. The number of alleged offences.
2. The number of alleged victims.
3. The sex and age of victim(s). Where you are unable to provide exact age please state whether the alleged victim is over 18 years of age or under 18 years of age.
4. The number of perpetrators.

Reply

West Mercia Police hold the information requested.

A search was carried out for the Primary Home Office Classification: 088/15 -Sharing or threatening to share intimate photograph or film to cause alarm, distress or humiliation, or for sexual gratification.

A manual check was then carried out specifically looking to extract offences related to ‘deepfake’ or ‘fake porn’

Q1

Age: Over 18

Q2

Nil Return