By Anthony Henry

Minister without Portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister with responsibility for Science, Technology and Special Projects, Dr Andrew Wheatley, on Tuesday opened debate on the Cybercrimes (Amendment) Act, 2026, outlining measures aimed at strengthening protections for Jamaicans, particularly children, in the digital space.

Dr Wheatley told the House that the amendments reflect the growing reality that crime is increasingly being committed online through social media platforms, cross-border networks and artificial intelligence tools capable of generating deepfakes, synthetic voices and manipulated imagery.

A major feature of the Bill is tougher penalties for offences committed against minors. Amendments to sections 4 and 8 of the principal Act will allow courts to impose sentences of up to 20 years’ imprisonment where cyber offences such as unauthorised access, fraud or forgery are committed against individuals under 18.

The Bill also introduces a specific offence targeting the non-consensual publication of intimate images, including content that is generated using artificial intelligence. The law makes it clear that persons under 18 cannot give consent for such material to be shared.

Dr Wheatley said the legislation is designed to protect citizens from reputational harm, harassment and exploitation in a digital environment where harmful content can be widely distributed in seconds.

He emphasised that the Bill seeks to balance enforcement with rights protections, noting that statutory defences are included for legitimate law enforcement, legal, educational and media contexts.