An estimated eight million deepfake images were shared in 2025, according to Government figures
'Jodie', who didn't want to be named fully, received an anonymous email five years ago directing her to images of her which had been shared online alongside personal information.
Weeks later, another email brought her to a forum where the same pictures had been used to create and publish sexually explicit images, known as deepfakes.
Jodie, from London, joined protesters outside of Downing Street on Friday as a 73,000-name petition was handed over, calling for more to be done about fake AI-generated video, audio and images.
In her own case, police said no charges could be brought against the perpetrator for the solicitation, creation and sharing of sexually explicit images of her and other women.
She said: "I shouldn't be having to campaign anonymously, but I’m so worried that my images will be found, that they might be remade, that someone else might create them, that they might get redistributed.
"That's not right and it’s not fair for that onus to be put on women."
It comes days after the UK and France launched investigations against Elon Musk's AI chatbot, Grok, after it created sexualised deepfake images including of children.
The chatbot has sparked outrage around the world over its ability to digitally "strip" victims without their consent, generating deepfake images of them nude or in minimal clothing.
In a tweet, X described the action as "politically motivated."
Across 2025 alone, an estimated eight million deepfake images were shared, compared with 500,000 in 2023, the Government said.
AI's rapid growth has led Ministers to collaborate with leading technology firms, including Microsoft, to identify gaps in deepfake detection.
Friday's protest coincided with the launch of a Government initiative aimed at evaluating how technology can detect deepfakes.
Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips said in a statement: "For the first time, this framework will take the injustice faced by millions to seek out the tactics of vile criminals, and close loopholes to stop them in their tracks so they have nowhere to hide.
"Ultimately, it is time to hold the technology industry to account, and protect our public, who should not be living in fear."
Rebecca Hitchen, of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, who was at the protest, said: "Around three million women were nudified by Grok just in December and January alone, so we know that this is happening on an industrial scale.
"That’s why we need massive changes to be brought into effect by Government to actually hold tech platforms to account."
