Germany is preparing new legislation to criminalize pornographic deepfakes after a high-profile complaint by actress Collien Fernandes. Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig announced the move as part of accelerated efforts to combat digital violence against women.
A spokesman for Hubig’s ministry, Eike Hosemann, said a draft law is ‘practically finished’ and will be presented ‘very soon.’ The proposal is intended to close gaps in existing law by making both the creation and distribution of pornographic deepfakes explicitly criminal offences. Officials say the country has been ‘lagging behind technological developments in this area.’
Hubig said the bill would also expand police powers to search suspects’ devices, aiming to remove the sense of impunity some perpetrators currently feel. ‘We want to ensure that perpetrators can no longer feel safe, that they must expect to be identified and effectively prosecuted,’ she told German broadcasters.
Beyond criminal penalties, the draft would introduce civil measures to help victims act against platforms. Proposed provisions include rights for victims to obtain information about perpetrators and mechanisms to enforce account suspensions. Officials acknowledge enforcement will be challenging because of international networks and rapidly evolving technology.
Politicians from across the political spectrum have expressed support for tougher protections, while advocacy groups warn that Germany’s legal and enforcement systems are not yet equipped to handle this form of abuse. The case has renewed criticism that Germany is behind other countries on protecting victims of online abuse. The president of the UN General Assembly and a former German foreign minister told the Funke Media Group that Germany has fallen behind on protections against online violence; surveys indicate some 60% of women and girls in Germany say they have experienced digital violence.
What happened in the Fernandes case
Fernandes and her former husband, actor Christian Ulmen, were prominent television personalities. They lived together on Mallorca until their separation in 2025. Fernandes discovered hundreds of fake pornographic images impersonating her circulating online and on social media, and she has publicly alleged identity theft and sexualized digital abuse. Media reports say she began to suspect her then-husband of involvement. Fernandes has accused Ulmen of creating and distributing AI-generated pornographic images of her; Ulmen denies the allegations.
The German Women’s Council has said the Fernandes case highlights the urgent need for legal reform to address AI-driven sexual abuse. Lawmakers now face the task of shaping rules that can be enforced across borders and adapted as technology evolves.
Edited by Alex Berry