INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Sixty-one Data Protection Authorities adopt a Joint Statement on the use of images by AI and the protection of privacy.
On February 23, 2026, a Joint Statement on AI-Generated Imagery and the Protection of Privacy was published, signed by 61 Data Protection Authorities globally and coordinated by the Global Privacy Assembly (GPA), International Enforcement Cooperation Working Group (IEWG).
The document draws attention to the risks associated with AI systems capable of generating realistic images and videos of identifiable people without their knowledge or consent, with particularly critical impacts for children and vulnerable individuals.
The Authorities report that the integration of image/video generation tools into widely accessible platforms has enabled the creation of:
non-consensual intimate content (including forms of "nudification");
Defamatory depictions and other harmful content involving real people;
cyberbullying and exploitation phenomena, with a focus on minors.
The Joint Statement also recalls that the creation of non-consensual intimate content may constitute criminal offenses in several jurisdictions.
While acknowledging that the requirements vary by system, the Authorities converge on some minimum expectations for those who develop or use content generation systems:
Robust safeguards to prevent misuse of personal information and generation of harmful material, particularly when minors are involved.
Meaningful transparency about system capacity, security measures, permitted uses, and consequences of abuse.
Effective and accessible channels to request the removal of harmful content and rapid response to the requests of data subjects.
Strengthened measures for children, including clear and age-appropriate information for children, parents/guardians and educators.
The authorities qualify such damage as significant and such as to require urgent regulatory attention, committing to cooperate and inviting organizations to proactively engage regulators and implement "by design" measures from the outset.
