Niki Sharma, Attorney General, said that the the technology can be intimidating

In her statement on  International Safer Internet Day, Sharma said,“Every year, people around the world mark the second Tuesday in February as Safer Internet Day, allowing us to recognize both the potential benefits and risks that come with technological advancement. As online tools evolve, so does our responsibility to keep people safe.

“While technology has helped us to stay connected, too often it can be used to intimidate, exploit or cause harm, especially to children, youth and vulnerable adults. Just recently, the news has been flooded with stories about artificial-intelligence-generated sexual ‘deepfakes’ and intimate images of real people, including minors. We have all heard cases of cyberbullying, sextortion and other actions that can have serious and lasting impacts. In the worst cases, these harms can even lead to death," she added.

“Through the Intimate Images Protection Act (IIPA), B.C. provides some of the strongest protections in Canada against the sharing of intimate images without consent, including AI-generated ones. This law recognizes the harm caused by violations of people’s autonomy and helps people pursue justice and get their harmful content removed quicker. Even better, the law is working, with nearly 400 disputes resolved since coming into force. We’re also working to raise the amount victims can receive from perpetrators to $75,000, 14 times higher than the current limit.