This report is the culmination of a six-month research and policy analysis project, supported by the UK AI Safety Institute’s Challenge Fund, on the complex topic of gendered deepfakes. This project sought to situate analysis of gendered deepfake content online within the wider context of tech-facilitated gender-based violence (TFGBV), and map its lifecycle by tracing how it is created, circulated and sustained across digital environments. In doing so, ISD analysed the ecosystem of tools, apps and websites that enable this activity, alongside the infrastructure and platforms that support it. The report also examines the current legislative and regulatory landscape to identify key gaps and highlight potential points for effective intervention. 

Our research identified a mature and adaptive gendered deepfakes ecosystem that extends beyond fringe communities into mainstream digital services, including search engines, app stores and social media platforms. This finding shows how users are funnelled through interconnected pathways: from discovery via search and social content, to creation through both commercial tools and open-source pipelines, and onward to dissemination and monetisation via messaging platforms and affiliate networks. This ecosystem is supported by concentrated technical infrastructure and complex payment mechanisms that enable operators to evade enforcement while also incentivising promotion at scale. At the same time, user behaviour and discourse analysis reveal that the creation and sharing of gendered deepfakes are driven not only by sexual motives but by dynamics of power, control and public humiliation, reinforcing broader patterns of online misogyny. 

Despite increasing regulatory attention, including recent UK legislation targeting both the creation and sharing of non-consensual imagery, the report highlights significant gaps in enforcement and scope. In particular, inconsistencies across platform governance, limited oversight of app stores and payment systems and the cross-jurisdictional nature of the ecosystem undermine current responses. The analysis underscores the need for coordinated, multi-stakeholder approach that combines regulatory action with platform accountability, financial disruption and preventative measures, both within the UK and in coordination with international partners.