Denmark has proposed a groundbreaking amendment to its copyright law aimed at tackling the growing threat of AI-generated deepfakes. These are highly realistic digital imitations of a person’s appearance, voice, or actions.
Announced
by the Danish government under Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt,
the proposed legislation would grant citizens exclusive rights over
their face, voice, body, and overall likeness. These elements would be
treated as a form of personal intellectual property.
The
move addresses gaps in current privacy and personality rights laws,
which struggle to protect individuals from misuse by generative AI
technologies.
Under
the proposal, the creation and especially the distribution of deepfakes
without explicit consent would be prohibited. Individuals affected by
such content could demand its immediate removal from online platforms.
Companies that fail to comply, including social media platforms, could
face financial penalties.
Limited exceptions for parody or satire may exist, though the details are still under discussion.
Backed
by broad cross-party support, the initiative positions Denmark as a
potential European leader in digital identity protection and could
influence similar efforts across the European Union.
By
recognizing personal identity features as ownable assets, the law aims
to protect citizens from scams, misinformation and reputational harm in
an era where AI can replicate identities using minimal data.
If approved, the legislation could come into force by late 2025 or early 2026. It would send a clear message that your face, voice, and body belong to you and only you.
