Germany cracks down on deepfake pornography with tougher laws and education
The German government is stepping up efforts to tackle digital violence, with a new draft law expected this week. Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig aims to close legal gaps, particularly around image-based sexual abuse. Meanwhile, the Verband Bildung und Erziehung (VBE) in Berlin is pushing for harsher penalties against deepfake pornography, calling it a severe and life-altering crime for victims.
The proposed legislation would introduce a new offence: 'violation of intimate privacy through images'. This move follows growing concerns about deepfake pornography, which the VBE describes as having lifelong consequences for those targeted. Teachers, university students, and schoolgirls have all fallen victim, with perpetrators including classmates, colleagues, and even parents.
The VBE is demanding stricter measures, including a minimum three-year prison sentence for creating or sharing deepfake pornography. It also wants platforms profiting from such content to face heavy financial penalties. However, the organisation opposes blanket bans on smartphones or social media, arguing these would not solve the problem. Instead, the VBE is calling for mandatory media literacy programmes in schools to prevent digital violence. While no recent data exists on the scale of deepfake cases in German schools, the group insists urgent action is needed to protect vulnerable groups.
The government's draft law and the VBE's demands highlight the growing pressure to address digital violence. If passed, the new offence would strengthen legal protections, while schools may soon face requirements to educate students on the risks of deepfake abuse. The focus remains on both punishment for offenders and prevention through education.
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