In a world where artificial intelligence can clone your voice, manipulate your image, and fabricate videos of you saying things you never uttered, Denmark has launched a radical counteroffensive. By amending its copyright laws, the Scandinavian nation will grant every citizen an unprecedented right: copyright ownership over their own face, body, and voice. This landmark legislation—the first of its kind in Europe—aims to dismantle the rising threat of AI-generated deepfakes by treating personal biometric features as intellectual property.
The Legal Breakthrough
Announced on June 27, 2025, by Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt, Denmark’s proposal has secured broad cross-party support and is slated for parliamentary approval this fall. The law defines deepfakes as “realistic digital representations of a person, including appearance and voice,” and empowers individuals to demand online platforms remove such content within hours of notification. Violations could trigger compensation claims and “severe fines” for non-compliant tech companies.
Engel-Schmidt’s rationale cuts to the core of digital ethics: “Human beings can be run through the digital copy machine and misused for all sorts of purposes. I’m not willing to accept that”. Unlike fragmented U.S. state laws—which focus narrowly on elections or explicit content—Denmark’s framework covers all non-consensual deepfakes, whether targeting celebrities or private citizens.
Why Now? The Deepfake Surge
The urgency is undeniable. Generative AI tools now create convincing forgeries in seconds, fueling harassment, fraud, and misinformation:
- Artists like Billie Eilish and Celine Dion have confronted AI-cloned songs and performances. Over 200 musicians condemned this “assault on human creativity” in a 2024 open letter.
- New Zealand MP Laura McClure demonstrated the peril in May 2025 by generating a nude deepfake of herself in under five minutes. “Laws need to catch up,” she insisted.
- A 2025 EU report estimates deepfake incidents surged by 300% since 2023, with 85% targeting non-celebrities for revenge or blackmail.
For Denmark, extending copyright—traditionally reserved for artists and inventors—to every citizen bridges a legal void. As Professor Athina Karatzogianni (University of Leicester) notes, deepfakes “undermine values fundamental to democracy, such as equality and transparency”.
Key Mechanics: How the Law Works
- Takedown Authority: Danes gain legal standing to request platforms delete deepfakes mimicking their likeness or voice without consent. This shifts the burden from victims to platforms.
- Satire/Parody Carve-Out: Echoing traditional copyright, the law exempts creative works like political cartoons or comedies.
- Compensation Rights: Beyond removal, victims can seek damages for emotional or reputational harm.
- Tech Accountability: Platforms face escalating penalties for ignoring valid claims, potentially escalating to EU-level sanctions.
Global Context: How Denmark’s Model Differs
While South Korea criminalized deepfake pornography and the U.S. passed the Take It Down Act (criminalizing non-consensual explicit imagery), Denmark’s approach is uniquely proactive and comprehensive. It preempts misuse rather than punishing after harm occurs. Critics, however, flag potential ambiguities: Could individuals abuse claims to censor unflattering content? The government clarifies the law targets “realistic digital manipulations,” not authentic media.
Challenges and Future Implications
Denmark’s experiment navigates uncharted territory. Legal scholars question whether copyright—designed for creative works—can ethically govern human biology. Others warn enforcement hurdles loom, particularly for cross-border content Yet, Engel-Schmidt aims to leverage Denmark’s 2026 EU presidency to advocate for bloc-wide adoption. “If platforms don’t comply, we’ll take additional steps,” he vows.
For the global community, Denmark’s move signals a paradigm shift: Your face isn’t just data—it’s your property. As AI evolves, redefining ownership of human identity may prove as vital as regulating any technology.