Georgia Harrison targets individuals profiteering from deepfake porn industry

Georgia Harrison has said she wants someone profiteering from the deepfake pornography industry to be “made an example of” within the courts, to send a warning to others.

The 30-year-old former Love Island star has fronted a new two-part ITV series, which dives into the issue of deepfakes and image-based sexual abuse after being outspoken about her former partner – Celebrity Big Brother winner Stephen Bear – being convicted of sharing a private film of them having sex.

Despite the creation of Georgia Harrison: Porn, Power, Profit being a challenging process, she revealed her new partner has helped make her “so much stronger” and she is now in the “best place” she has ever been personally.

It was announced last month that ministers are set to crack down on sexually explicit deepfakes, images generated or edited using artificial intelligence featuring real people, as the practice will become a criminal offence.

Appearing on ITV’s Lorraine on Wednesday, Harrison said: “Since making the show, obviously the Government and (safeguarding minister) Jess Phillips did announce that now the creation of deepfakes will be illegal, but I’m just unsure at the moment of how it’s going to be implemented.

“And quite frankly, I’m waiting to see an example. I want someone to be made an example of. I want them to either get a huge fine or jail time, and then hopefully the other platforms will be like ‘Right? We’re in trouble here. Let’s take down whatever we’re doing and find something else to do’.

“Maybe go work in Tesco or just do something that normal people do, rather than creating these terrible apps.”

The TV star said she did not realise how advanced the deepfake pornography technology was until creating the documentary series, as she discovered people only need a picture of someone else to create a sexually explicit image or video.

Harrison waived her right to anonymity during her case, which saw her ex-partner Bear jailed after being found guilty in 2023 of voyeurism and of two counts of disclosing private sexual photographs and films with intent to cause distress.

She said she has multiple people most days who come to her to discuss experiencing a similar thing, including parents who are reaching out on behalf of their children.

The campaigner advised anyone affected to reach out to the revenge porn helpline, who she hailed as an “amazing” group who work to stop the footage from spreading and aim to get it removed, as well as offering advice.

She also recommended people seek counselling if they have been affected by it as she said the experience can cause “such an emotional turmoil”.

“It’s so hard for the victims that don’t have a voice. For many of them, they don’t want to and they have to live every day wondering where their footage has gone, having to check it themselves,” she added.

“For most of them, people don’t know what’s happened, so they live in a lot of fear of who’s going to see it next. Will it be my employer, will it be my partner?

“And I just want to do everything I can to help protect other people… and just raise some awareness. Parents really need to know the dangers, especially when it comes to deep fake pornography.”

Harrison said she is in a better place to explore the topic now and her new partner has been supportive of her during this time.

She said: “Even though I’m obviously covering quite a deep subject, I’m genuinely in the best place I’ve ever been.

“Last night I watched the show with my mum, my friends, and then obviously my boyfriend, and he’s just been so supportive throughout.

“And it can’t be an easy thing to have to witness for him as well. It was quite a hard watch. But he just makes me so much stronger and so much of a better version of myself.”

Harrison met victims, a representative from a porn site, creators and journalists for the documentary to discuss how these images and videos end up on the internet.

She has also spoken to MPs on the Women and Equalities Committee and at the Labour Party conference about her experience, and fronted the ITV documentary Revenge Porn: Georgia Vs Bear.

Harrison rose to fame on the reality series The Only Way Is Essex and appeared on dating show Love Island in 2017.

The TV star has also taken part in Love Island: All Stars and won Channel 4 reality show Celebrity SAS: Who Dares Wins with boxer Lani Daniels.

– The second part of Georgia Harrison: Porn, Power, Profit continues on Wednesday February 19 at 9pm on ITV2 and ITVX.