Federal Cabinet Approves Sweeping Legislation Against Digital Violence in Germany
The German Federal Cabinet adopted an extensive legislative package on October 7, 2026, aimed at strengthening legal protections against sexualized deepfakes, digital voyeurism, and other forms of online abuse. Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig described digital violence as a “Flächenbrand”. The government drafted the new rules in response to a sharp rise in image-based sexual offenses, accelerated by high-profile incidents such as the Fernandes-Ulmen deepfake case and reports on the previous impunity of so-called “Sauna-Spannen”.
Germany proposes criminal offenses for unauthorized intimate media
The proposed legislation introduces four new criminal offenses to the German Criminal Code (StGB) under a central provision designated as Section 184k, targeting the violation of privacy through image content. The framework criminalizes the unauthorized creation and distribution of computer-generated intimate media depicting specific individuals without consent. The legislation also addresses digital voyeurism by penalizing covert recordings of real people showing sexual acts, uncovered genitals, buttocks, or female breasts, regardless of whether the incident occurs in a private setting or a public space such as a swimming pool or beach.
The draft also captures non-consensual sharing of violent sexual material, revenge porn, and images obtained consensually but distributed against the subject’s will. Under narrowly defined conditions, the legislation extends penalties to the unauthorized capture of clothed intimate body parts when the recording explicitly aims for a sexualized depiction. This specific inclusion follows the case of a female jogger in Cologne whose backside was filmed without her consent while she ran.
Digital Violence Act expedites identification of harassers
Alongside the criminal code updates, the legislative package includes the Digital Violence Act (GgdG), which establishes an expedited civil court procedure for victims. This mechanism allows individuals targeted by online harassment and related offenses to more easily obtain the identities of those responsible. According to the federal government, this is a essential prerequisite for victims seeking to successfully file for injunctions and damages in civil court.
Government draft shifts legal focus to individual consent
The newly approved measure currently stands as a government draft that must complete the parliamentary legislative process, leaving room for amendments before final enactment. The proposed framework shifts the legal focus away from whether an offense occurred in a public or private space, anchoring criminality instead on the lack of consent from the depicted individual. Victims will gain dual pathways to seek justice through simultaneous criminal complaints and civil lawsuits once the legislation takes full effect.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Digital Violence Act
Which specific behaviors does the new Section 184k StGB criminalize?
The provision penalizes the unauthorized creation and sharing of sexualized deepfakes, covert intimate photographs taken in public or private locations, non-consensual distribution of violent sexual videos, revenge porn, and targeted sexualized recordings of clothed intimate body parts.
How does the Digital Violence Act help victims identify anonymous online harassers?
The GgdG introduces an expedited judicial disclosure procedure that streamlines how affected individuals obtain identifying information, removing roadblocks that previously stalled civil lawsuits for damages and injunctions.
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