Broadcaster and former election candidate Gráinne Seoige has called for urgent action to address the rapid rise of AI apps and encrypted messaging platforms that are enabling the creation and mass circulation of non-consensual sexual imagery – warning that current laws leave victims unprotected while responsibility is repeatedly ‘passed from pillar to post’.

She previously said she herself had felt violated and traumatised by a deepfake pornographic image of herself that went viral during her ill-fated 2024 General Election campaign.

The image, generated by someone using artificial intelligence (AI), included a headshot of the broadcaster superimposed on the torso of a naked woman with large breasts exposed.

Its circulation online and on WhatsApp was the subject of a Garda investigation.

Later, Ms Seoige said the image was “the most devastating part” of her unsuccessful election campaign running for Fianna Fáil in Galway West.

Now Ms Seoige believes that developments, involving AI tools such as Grok – combined with the unchecked spread of material through WhatsApp, owned by Meta – have exposed a fundamental failure in Irish and European legislation to deal with how harm actually occurs.

“This is not an abstract technology debate – this is about real people being harmed in real time,” she said.

“AI apps can generate sexual images of real people in seconds, and messaging platforms can distribute them at scale within minutes. Yet the current legal framework allows everyone involved to pass the buck, while the victim is left to deal with the damage.”

She said current legislation leaves major gaps, including AI-generated sexual imagery sitting in legal grey areas; Gardaí lacking real-time powers to disrupt circulation; and platforms facing little immediate consequence for failing to act quickly.

“This system is not victim-focused. It is process-focused, and victims are paying the price,” she said.

The Spiddal native has now formally requested that the Oireachtas Committee on Media undertake an urgent review of new legislation, focused specifically on AI-enabled sexual abuse imagery and encrypted messaging platforms.

“We need a practical, victim-centred review – not another slow consultation while the technology races ahead,” she said.

“The Oireachtas Committee on Media is the right forum to do this, but it must treat this as an emergency.”

She said reform must include clear criminalisation of AI-generated sexual imagery, regardless of whether it is ‘synthetic’; real-time powers for Gardaí to stop and disrupt circulation; legal duties on platforms to prevent repeat dissemination once material is identified; and meaningful penalties where platforms fail to act.

Ms Seoige confirmed that she has written to all TDs and Senators representing Galway, across all parties, seeking their cross-party support for urgent legislative reform.

She has also written directly to Meta and X, expressing her anger at what she described as their slow, procedural and inadequate responses when serious harm was occurring.

“These companies control the systems through which this abuse spreads and generate enormous profits from them,” she said.

“Yet when those systems are abused, they behave as though responsibility lies everywhere except with them.”

And she is also willing to give evidence to legislators to ensure reform is grounded in reality.

“This is not about politics. It is about safety, dignity and accountability. The law must finally catch up with reality,” she said.

Pictured: Grainne Seoige…call for action in AI apps and encrypted messaging platforms.