A new amendment to the Crime and Policing Bill could see tech executives held criminally liable for failing to comply with regulation on the sharing of non-consensual intimate images.

The new law would see tech platforms be held liable to remove non-consensually shared intimate images within 48 hours of a victim’s request for removal.

If images are not removed within this time frame, Ofcom, the media regulator, can hold executives criminally liable for the legal failing.

Tech leaders could face fines, imprisonment, or even both, if they do not meet the requirement.

The new amendment to the upcoming law is set to be debated in the House of Commons next week as more call for tech executives to be held responsible for the content shared across their platforms.

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“Too many women have had their lives shattered by having their intimate images shared online without consent,” science and technology secretary Liz Kendall said.

“This government is uncompromising in our mission to protect women and girls online, and we have taken action to stop tech firms from publishing this abusive content.

“In February we told platforms that they must remove reported non-consensual intimate images within 48 hours. Now we are going further by introducing measures meaning that senior tech executives could be criminally liable if their companies fail to act when required to do so by Ofcom.

“Protecting women and girls online is not optional, it is a responsibility that sits squarely with every tech company’s leadership.”