CANBERRA – Australia has announced new reforms to combat the use of apps that create deepfake nudes and facilitate stalking. The new rules will place the responsibility on tech platforms to prevent access to these “abhorrent technologies.”

Communications Minister Anika Wells stated that the government will work with tech companies to eradicate these harmful apps while ensuring that legitimate AI and online tracking services are not affected. The move comes as the number of deepfake harm cases has doubled in the past 18 months, with “nudify” apps and undetectable stalking apps causing “real and irreparable damage.”

Australia has been a global leader in online safety reforms, including a ban on social media use for minors under 16. The government aims to shift the onus of reporting harm from the victims to the platforms themselves, requiring them to police their content more effectively.

Source Citation: This article is based on reporting from Al Jazeera, originally titled “Australia moves to stamp out ‘nudify’ and stalking apps.”