UK Law Gives Tech Companies 48 Hours to Take Down Abusive Images

Tech companies operating in the UK could soon be legally required to remove intimate images shared without consent within 48 hours, under proposed new legislation aimed at strengthening protections for victims of online abuse.

The UK government said non-consensual intimate image abuse should be treated with the same seriousness as child sexual abuse material and terrorist-related content. Platforms that fail to comply could face penalties of up to 10 per cent of their global turnover or, in extreme cases, have their services restricted or blocked in the UK.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer described the move as part of an ongoing fight with technology firms to protect victims, saying the burden should no longer fall on individuals to repeatedly report abuse across multiple platforms.

The proposed measures form part of an amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill, which is currently progressing through the House of Lords. If approved, victims would only need to report an abusive image once, after which platforms would be required to ensure it is removed everywhere and prevented from being re-uploaded.

The plans would also give internet service providers clearer guidance on blocking access to websites hosting illegal content, targeting so-called rogue sites that currently fall outside the scope of the Online Safety Act.

Advocacy groups welcomed the proposals. Janaya Walker, interim director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said the changes correctly place responsibility on tech companies rather than victims.

Government data shows women, girls and LGBT people are disproportionately affected by intimate image abuse. A report published in July 2025 found that young men and boys are more commonly targeted by financial sexual extortion, often referred to as “sextortion”. Meanwhile, a parliamentary report released in May 2025 recorded a 20.9 per cent rise in reported cases of intimate image abuse during 2024.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, Starmer said the new system would prevent victims from having to repeatedly chase platforms to remove content. He noted that similar takedown obligations already exist for terrorist material, demonstrating that rapid removal is achievable.

The prime minister said enforcement would rely on fines and regulatory action rather than prison sentences for tech executives.

Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said the era of tech companies avoiding accountability was ending, stressing that no one should have to wait days while harmful images remain online.

The announcement follows a dispute earlier this year involving X, after an AI tool on the platform was used to generate sexualised images of real women. That feature was later withdrawn. The UK has also recently introduced legislation making non-consensual deepfake images a criminal offence.