Australia Seeks $450K Fine for Man Posting Deepfake Porn

Australian authorities are seeking a maximum fine of $450,000 against Anthony Rotondo for posting and refusing to remove AI-generated deepfake pornographic images of prominent Australian women on the now-defunct MrDeepFakes website. Rotondo, who split his time between the Philippines and Australia, was previously fined $25,000 in 2023 for contempt of court after defying orders to take down the images and further exposing victims by sharing court orders with media outlets. The case marks a significant enforcement of Australia's Online Safety Act, reflecting the serious psychological and emotional harm caused by nonconsensual deepfake content, which disproportionately targets women and girls. The eSafety Commissioner emphasized that the penalty aims to deter similar harmful conduct, amid a 550% rise in deepfake content since 2019, with 99% being pornographic and involving female subjects. The court has reserved its decision following the penalty hearing, while federal legislation passed in 2024 strengthens measures against explicit deepfakes. Additionally, international actions are underway, including Denmark seeking extradition of a suspected key operator behind MrDeepFakes, signaling broader efforts to combat deepfake abuse globally.