TOPICS
AI + ML
Watchdogs warn models that can generate realistic images of people must comply with data protection laws
A global coalition of privacy watchdogs has fired a warning shot at the generative AI industry, saying companies churning out realistic synthetic images can’t pretend that data protection rules don’t apply.
The joint statement [PDF] signed by more than 60 regulators, including the UK Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) and Ireland’s Data Protection Commission (DPC), boils down to a simple point: if your model can convincingly fake a person, you don’t get to pretend data protection law doesn’t exist.
“Recent developments – particularly AI image and video generation integrated into widely accessible social media platforms – have enabled the creation of non-consensual intimate imagery, defamatory depictions, and other harmful content featuring real individuals,” said the signatories. “We are especially concerned about potential harms to children and other vulnerable groups, such as cyberbullying and/or exploitation.”
The warning lands weeks after the ICO and DPC opened formal probes into Elon Musk’s xAI following reports that its Grok chatbot produced sexual images of real people without their consent.
The group says organizations dabbling in generative AI need to build safeguards from the start and think carefully about risks such as non-consensual imagery, misuse of someone’s likeness, and potential harms to children – all areas where the tech has raced ahead of social norms and, in some cases, common sense.
The regulators stress that the law already covers this, and that firms don’t get a free pass just because the content came from a machine.
William Malcolm, executive director of Regulatory Risk & Innovation at the ICO, said: “People should be able to benefit from AI without fearing that their identity, dignity or safety are under threat. AI already plays a large role in all our lives, and everybody has a right to expect that AI systems handling their personal data will do so with respect. Responsible innovation means putting people first: anticipating the risks and building in meaningful safeguards to ensure autonomy, transparency, and control.
“Public trust is foundational to the successful adoption and use of AI. Joint regulatory initiatives like this show global commitment to high standards of data protection in AI systems and help provide regulatory certainty. We expect those developing and deploying AI to act responsibly. Where we find that obligations have not been met, we will take action to protect the public.”
The joint statement on AI-generated imagery suggests that if companies want to keep pushing ever more realistic AI into everyday products, they should expect regulators to keep asking awkward questions about how it all works. ®
‘16% of my monthly Pro+ allowance. Gone. For basically nothing’
TeamPCP? Or copycat malware dev?
A billion AI agents walk into a power grid
Hacking voting machines is so 2017. Phishing, impersonation pose the real election risks
The energy drink of frontier models
First it tops OpenAI’s valuation, then it beats Altman to the IPO punch
What does data sovereignty actually mean for your network, which trade-offs are unavoidable? Learn more.
Modern applications are API-driven, interconnected, and often over-permissioned, making them an ideal target for AI-assisted attacks.
Join us to discover how to eliminate infrastructure silos and establish a standardized, enterprise-grade cloud-native platform.
Microsoft 365 is the backbone of enterprise communication, and its native security filters out the known and the noisy.
Step into the chaos of a live ransomware breach, test your response skills, and team up with other IT and security pros to outsmart cybercriminals
Ransomware attacks aren’t slowing down, and neither are we. Druva’s hit event, Escape Ransomware, is now fully virtual.
Join us to learn how to unlock real ROI by driving adoption of AI at scale.
AI + ML
‘16% of my monthly Pro+ allowance. Gone. For basically nothing’
Security
TeamPCP? Or copycat malware dev?
Security
Hacking voting machines is so 2017. Phishing, impersonation pose the real election risks
AI + ML
First it tops OpenAI’s valuation, then it beats Altman to the IPO punch
Systems
China’s support is greater relative to semiconductor industry revenue
AI + ML
‘16% of my monthly Pro+ allowance. Gone. For basically nothing’
Security
TeamPCP? Or copycat malware dev?
Security
Hacking voting machines is so 2017. Phishing, impersonation pose the real election risks
AI + ML
First it tops OpenAI’s valuation, then it beats Altman to the IPO punch
Systems
China’s support is greater relative to semiconductor industry revenue
‘16% of my monthly Pro+ allowance. Gone. For basically nothing’
TeamPCP? Or copycat malware dev?
Hacking voting machines is so 2017. Phishing, impersonation pose the real election risks
First it tops OpenAI’s valuation, then it beats Altman to the IPO punch
China’s support is greater relative to semiconductor industry revenue
Kai is an extension for RAD Studio (Delphi and C++ Builder) that integrates with external AI providers
Biting the hand that feeds IT
Contact us
Advertise with us
Who we are
Newsletter
The Next Platform
DevClass
Blocks and Files
Situation Publishing
Cookies Policy
Privacy Policy
Ts & Cs
Do not share my personal information
Your Consent Options
Copyright. All rights reserved © 1998-2026.
Leave a Reply