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Sharing deepfake pornography is “the next sexual violence epidemic” facing schools, the author of a book on the spread of online misogyny has told MPs.

Appearing before the Women and Equalities Committee (WEC), Laura Bates said there needs to be statutory guidance for teachers on how to deal with this “very significant issue”.

She said in every UK case she has investigated, schools have “paid thousands of pounds hiring PR firms to focus on damage reputation management”.

However, in terms of supporting girls and taking action against the perpetrators, “nothing has happened”.

She said of deepfake pornography: “It is happening, it’s significant. Female teachers are affected, which often goes unnoticed, and schools are just not equipped to tackle it.

“My suggestion would be this is the next big sexual violence epidemic facing schools and people don’t even know it is going on.”

Deepfakes are pictures, videos or audio clips made with Artificial Intelligence (AI) to look or sound real.

While it is illegal to create or share a sexually explicit image of a child, including a deepfake, the technology for making them remains legal.

Laura Bates before the Women and Equalities Committee
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Laura Bates before the Women and Equalities Committee

Asked what more could be done to help schools tackle the issue, Ms Bates said in the cases she is aware of “police investigations are ongoing” .

However, she said she is not suggesting criminalisation of underage boys is the solution and what is needed is education, prevention and regulation.

“It shouldn’t be the case that a 12-year-old boy can easily and freely access tools to create these forms of content in the first place,” she said.

Ms Bates is the founder of the Everyday Sexism project and author of: The New Age of Sexism: How the AI Revolution is Reinventing Misogyny.

She also called for “very clear guidance” on how schools should respond to this challenge.

She warned of a repeat of failings that have happened previously with intimate image abuse, where girls have been “coerced into sending images of themselves” then punished for taking the image once it has been shared around – but the person spreading the image has not.

Calls to ban ‘nudifying apps’

A government spokesperson told Sky News: “We are reviewing the relationships, sex and health curriculum to look at all modern-day challenges facing children, including that of deepfake porn, and work to ensure children are taught how to build positive, healthy relationships in an age-appropriate way.”

It comes amid mounting concern among MPs and experts about online safety for children, with many wanting the government to go further with its regulations on big tech firms.

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In April, a report by the Children’s Commissioner for England found that nudifying apps are disproportionately targeting girls and young women, with many appearing to work only on female bodies.

The commissioner, Dame Rachel de Souza, called for an immediate ban on apps that use AI to create naked images of children, saying “there is no positive reason for these to exist”.

Inquiry into the ‘manosphere’

Ms Bates appeared in front of the WEC as part of their inquiry into how the “manosphere” and other online content is fuelling misogyny.

The cross-party group has previously heard how the rise of misogyny in young men in particular is not only affecting female pupils but also female staff, with sexual harassment towards teachers described as “rife”.

On Wednesday’s session, the committee also heard concerns around the rise of the “sex tech industry”, including robots and AI girlfriends, with fears this is having a wider impact on attitudes towards women and girls.

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Sarah Owen, the Labour chair of the WEC, told Sky News she could not pre-empt what recommendations would be made to the government.

But she said there was huge concern around the online radicalisation of young men, adding: “It was a boiling hot room but my blood ran cold at what I was hearing.”

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Starmer urges anyone with information on Epstein case to come forward – after Andrew misses Congress deadline

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Deadline day for Andrew to respond to Epstein inquiry - but it's hard to imagine why he'd talk

Sir Keir Starmer has urged anyone with information on the Jeffrey Epstein case to come forward after Andrew Mountbatten Windsor missed the deadline to appear in front of US Congress.

US legislators have criticised Andrew for what they describe as “silence” amid their probe into Epstein after he failed to respond to their request for an interview.

When asked about Andrew missing the deadline and whether the former prince should help the case in any way he can, Sir Keir said on his way to the G20 summit in South Africa: “I don’t comment on this particular case.”

He added that “a general principle I’ve held for a very long time is that anybody who has got relevant information in relation to these kind of cases should give that evidence to those that need it”.

Andrew is not legally obliged to talk to Congress and has always vigorously denied any wrongdoing.

More on Andrew Mountbatten Windsor

Sir Keir Starmer spoke to reporters on his way to the G20 in South Africa. Pic: Reuters
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Sir Keir Starmer spoke to reporters on his way to the G20 in South Africa. Pic: Reuters

It comes as Marjorie Taylor Greene, a loyal supporter-turned-critic of US President Donald Trump, said on Friday she is resigning from Congress in January.

Ms Greene’s resignation followed a public falling-out with Mr Trump in recent months, as the congresswoman criticised him for his stance on files related to Epstein, as well as on foreign policy and healthcare.

Members of the House Oversight Committee had requested a “transcribed interview” with Andrew in connection with his “long-standing friendship” with Epstein, the paedophile financier who took his own life in a New York prison in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking and conspiracy charges.

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Releasing the Epstein files: How we got here

But after saying they had not heard back, Democrats Robert Garcia and Suhas Subramanyam accused Andrew of hiding.

Their statement read: “Andrew Mountbatten Windsor’s silence in the face of the Oversight Democrat’s demand for testimony speaks volumes.

“The documents we’ve reviewed, along with public records and Virginia Roberts Giuffre’s testimony, raise serious questions he must answer, yet he continues to hide.

“Our work will move forward with or without him, and we will hold anyone who was involved in these crimes accountable, no matter their wealth, status, or political party. We will get justice for the survivors.”

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The new Epstein files: The key takeaways

It follows Andrew being stripped of his prince and Duke of York titles earlier this month.

He had previously agreed to stop using his titles, but had expected to remain a prince and retain his dukedom, ahead of the publication of the memoirs of the late Ms Giuffre, who had accused him of sexually assaulting her when she was a teenager – an accusation he denies.

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Girl, 13, arrested on suspicion of murdering woman in Swindon

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Girl, 13, arrested on suspicion of murdering woman in Swindon

A 13-year-old girl has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman in Swindon.

Police said the teenager was detained following an incident in Baydon Close, Moredon, in the Wiltshire town on Friday evening.

Officers responded to reports of disorder inside a house. When they arrived, a woman in her 50s living at the address was found to be not breathing. She was declared dead at the scene.

There were no other reported injuries.

Forensic officers are at the scene to collect evidence
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Forensic officers are at the scene to collect evidence

Detective Inspector Darren Ambrose, from Wiltshire Police’s major crime investigation team, said: “This is a serious incident in which a woman has sadly died.

“We have set up a cordon at the address while an investigation is carried out.

“I can confirm that we have arrested a teenage girl in connection with this incident and we are not looking for anyone else.”

Police have asked people not to speculate about the incident online as this could prejudice the case.

A police statement read: “Residents can expect to see an increased police presence in the area while we continue carrying out our enquiries into the woman’s death.

“The suspect remains in custody at this time.”

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Police said anyone with concerns should speak with their local neighbourhood policing team, either by emailing or approaching officers in person.

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Rail fares to be frozen for first time in 30 years

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Rail fares to be frozen for first time in 30 years

Rail fares are to be frozen for the first time in 30 years, the government has announced.

Ministers promised that millions of rail travellers will save hundreds of pounds on regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns between major cities.

The fare freeze applies to England and services run by English train operators.

People commuting to work three days a week using flexi-season tickets will save £315 a year travelling from Milton Keynes to London, £173 travelling from Woking to London and £57 from Bradford to Leeds, the government said.

The changes are part of Labour’s plans to rebuild a publicly owned Great British Railways. Other planned changes include tap in-tap out and digital ticketing, as well as investing in superfast Wi-Fi.

The freeze applies to regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns. Pic: iStock
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The freeze applies to regulated fares, including season tickets and peak and off-peak returns. Pic: iStock

Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the government was introducing a freeze on rail fares for the first time in 30 years, which “will ease the pressure on household finances and make travelling to work, school or to visit friends and family that bit easier”.

“We all want to see cheaper rail travel, so we’re freezing fares to help millions of passengers save money,” Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said.

“Commuters on more expensive routes will save more than £300 per year, meaning they keep more of their hard-earned cash.”

Rail unions and passenger groups welcomed the move, praising how it will make travel more affordable for passengers and promote more sustainable travel alternatives.

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Eddie Dempsey, general secretary of the Rail, Maritime and Transport union, said: “More affordable fares will encourage greater use of public transport, supporting jobs, giving a shot in the arm to local economies and helping to improve the environment.”

TUC general secretary Paul Nowak said the rail fare freeze “will be a huge relief to working people”.

“This is the right decision, at the right time, to help passengers be able to afford to make that journey they need to take, and to help grow our railway in this country, because the railway is Britain’s green alternative – taking cars and lorries off our congested roads and moving people and goods safely around our country in an environmentally-friendly way,” Mick Whelan, general secretary of the train drivers union Aslef, said.

The Tories welcomed the move but said the government was “late to the platform”.

Shadow transport secretary Richard Holden said: “In government, the Conservatives kept fares on the right track with below-inflation rises and consistently called for no further hikes to protect hard-working commuters.”

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