By Kavita Mistry 
Denmark is taking a bold step to protect its citizens from the rising misuse of AI deepfakes. The country is preparing legislation that will grant individuals copyright protection over their voice, face, and body, aiming to combat the unethical use of generative AI.
New Law to Safeguard Identity in the Digital Age
Denmark’s Ministry of Culture has secured cross-party support for an amendment to the current copyright law. The move is aimed at countering deepfake technology, which enables anyone to produce highly realistic fake images, videos, or audio that mimic real people—often without their consent.
Jakob Engel-Schmidt, the Danish Culture Minister, strongly defended the need for such a law. “We are sending an unequivocal message that everybody has the right to their own body, their own voice, and their own facial features,” he told The Guardian. He stressed that current laws are not sufficient to protect people from the misuse of generative AI.
Right to Removal and Legal Clarity
If passed, the legislation will allow Danish citizens to request the removal of AI-generated content featuring their likeness without permission. The new rule would place legal responsibility on platforms to remove harmful deepfake content, provided the request is valid. However, the law will not apply to satire or parody, which will remain protected forms of expression.
Global Concern: New Zealand MP Takes a Stand
The urgency of regulating AI deepfakes is not unique to Denmark. Last month, New Zealand MP Laura McClure shocked her Parliament by showing a nude deepfake of herself, created in less than five minutes using online tools. The manipulated image was blurred for broadcast but drove home the growing threat posed by AI abuse.
“The problem is not the technology, but how it is being used to abuse people,” she said in a post. Ms McClure is pushing to expand existing laws on non-consensual image sharing to cover AI-generated content.
A Timely Response to an Evolving Threat
Denmark’s proposed changes mark a significant advancement in digital rights and personal autonomy. With the misuse of AI rising globally, other countries may soon follow Denmark’s lead in redefining copyright laws to protect citizens from identity theft and reputational harm in the AI era.