Queensland Bill Would Make Creating Sexual Deepfakes a Crime

Queensland has introduced legislation that would make it a criminal offence to create sexually explicit deepfake images or audio of a person without their consent.

What Happened

On 27 October 2026, the Queensland Government said it had introduced the bill to Parliament.^[2] It targets non-consensual, sexually explicit deepfake images or audio. The proposed maximum penalty is three years in jail for adult offenders and 18 months for children.^[1]

Queensland law already bans sharing such images. According to Attorney-General Deb Frecklington, it does not ban creating them. She said offenders "have exploited a gap in the law to create harmful and exploitative content."^[1]

The new offence covers intimate images that are digitally altered or created entirely using digital technology. That includes image-editing software, AI-generated images and "nudify" applications. It also covers simulated or digitally generated people who closely resemble, or purport to be, an identifiable real person.^[2]

The bill changes key definitions. It adds a new definition of intimate audio material. It also modernises the definition of intimate image to include "non-genuine" images. ABC News reports this means a perpetrator cannot argue an image falls outside the definition because the victim is depicted in an impossible setting, emojis obscure part of the image, or a digital filter is used.^[1]

"Behind every deepfake image is a real person whose privacy, dignity and sense of safety has been violated," Frecklington said in the government statement.^[2]

The government first announced the plan on 12 April 2026, with the same proposed maximum of three years' imprisonment. At the time, Frecklington said: "Creating intimate images of someone without their consent is a serious invasion of privacy."^[3] The government says the final bill draws on consultation with stakeholders across the sexual violence, domestic and family violence, victim support, online safety, legal, education and government sectors.^[2]

Why It Matters

The government says highly accessible AI tools now make this content easy to produce, including in schools, where it has been used to cyberbully students and teachers. "Our hardworking teachers and students are on the frontline of this emerging threat," Frecklington said.^[2]

The problem is not limited to Queensland. In April, EducationHQ cited eSafety Commissioner data showing at least one incident of deepfake image-based abuse weekly in Australian schools, and that reports of abuse had doubled since the start of 2024.^[4] Under the bill, the criminal law in Queensland would extend from sharing such material to creating it.

What to Do

• If you are targeted, keep evidence. Save screenshots, links, usernames and dates before content is removed. Do not forward the material to others.
• Report it. Use the reporting tools on the platform where it appears, and contact the relevant authorities in your area.
• Talk to someone you trust. For students, that can be a parent, teacher or school staff member.
• Check before you share. If an intimate or compromising image of someone appears online, do not assume it is real. Sharing it can cause harm either way.

Verify What You See and Hear

Upload any suspicious image or video frame at witness.vision/scan for a second pair of eyes. Witness checks whether it is real or synthetic in seconds. The Witness Chrome extension scans images directly on any webpage.

Scan now at witness.vision/scan