Germany’s justice ministry said it will propose measures and legal changes to better tackle large-scale AI image manipulation that violates personal rights. The move follows reporting that X’s image tool was used to create explicit, non-consensual imagery and signals faster regulation of deepfakes across Europe.

Germany announced plans to draft legal changes and concrete measures aimed at combating harmful AI-generated image manipulation, commonly referred to as deepfakes, after investigations revealed X’s image tool had been used to create explicit, non-consensual sexual imagery. The justice ministry said on Jan. 9, 2026 that proposals will focus on protecting personal rights, fast-tracking takedown mechanisms, strengthening criminal penalties for large-scale or commercialized misuse, and clarifying platform responsibilities. Officials emphasized the need to address ‘digital violence’ and the rapid commercial deployment of generative image tools that can produce realistic sexual content without consent. The announcement reflects mounting public pressure and cross-border concern in Europe about AI-enabled privacy harms, and follows inquiries by regulators and civil society about how platforms detect, prevent and remediate non-consensual imagery. German policymakers signaled cooperation with EU peers to harmonize rules, while tech firms face scrutiny over safety-by-design, verification limits, and content moderation resources. The measures aim to reduce victimization, speed enforcement across jurisdictions, and provide clearer legal remedies for people targeted by AI-enabled image abuse.