Collien Fernandes, a well-known German TV personality, has accused her ex-husband Christian Ulmen of creating and sharing AI-generated pornographic images of her online. The allegations, made in an interview with Der Spiegel, have ignited a national debate in Germany about digital violence against women and prompted calls for stricter laws.
Fernandes told Der Spiegel she was shocked to discover hundreds of fake explicit images of her circulating on the internet. She said she began to suspect Ulmen, a prominent TV presenter and producer, was behind the images, which were posted via fake social media accounts impersonating her. Ulmen has denied the allegations through his lawyer, Christian Schertz, who said legal action would be taken against Spiegel for what he called “inadmissible coverage based on suspicions”.
The case has galvanised campaigners, who have held rallies in several German cities urging the government of Chancellor Friedrich Merz to close legal loopholes. A group of 250 prominent women from politics, business and culture published 10 demands, including explicit criminalisation of non-consensual sexualised deepfakes. More than 10,000 protesters gathered at Berlin’s Brandenburg Gate, with placards reading “AI won’t make our bodies yours”.
Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said her ministry was drafting a bill to make the creation of pornographic deepfakes a criminal offence, punishable by up to two years in prison. Currently, only the dissemination of such content is illegal in Germany. The proposed law would also make it easier for victims to identify perpetrators, claim damages, and have illegal accounts blocked. Hubig called on social media platforms like Elon Musk’s X to be more accountable, noting that AI tools such as Grok have led to an explosion of manipulated sexualised images.
Fernandes described Germany as “a total refuge for perpetrators” and said she is under police protection after receiving death threats. The prosecutor’s office in Itzehoe has reopened an investigation into Ulmen following Spiegel’s reporting; an earlier probe was suspended in June 2024 due to insufficient information. Fernandes has also filed a legal complaint against Ulmen in Spain, where the couple lived before separating, citing stronger legal protections for women there.
