Denmark has unveiled a landmark legal amendment that will grant individuals copyright over their own likeness, positioning itself as the first European nation to confront AI deepfakes through intellectual property law.
At a Glance
- Denmark passed a bill treating a person’s likeness—image, voice, and facial features—as copyrightable content.
- Citizens will be able to demand takedowns of AI-generated deepfakes and seek compensation.
- The bill includes exceptions for satire and parody to protect free expression.
- Noncompliant platforms may face heavy penalties, including EU-level enforcement.
- Final approval is expected later this year, pending public consultation.
Turning Identity Into Copyright
Denmark’s proposed amendment reclassifies personal identity—your voice, face, and likeness—as protected creative property. Under the law, individuals will be able to claim copyright infringement if AI systems clone their appearance or voice without consent. As reported by TIME, the legislation allows individuals to request removal of such content and seek damages.
Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt emphasized the bill’s guiding principle: “Everybody has the right to their own body, their own voice and their own facial features.” The law will also protect artists and performers, extending coverage to digital simulations of their performances—a growing concern amid rising AI music deepfakes.
Watch a report: Denmark’s Deepfake Crackdown Explained
Europe’s First Likeness Rights Legislation
Denmark’s approach is unique: rather than relying on privacy or defamation frameworks, it reframes AI-generated likenesses as violations of copyright. This gives individuals greater legal leverage and places clearer responsibilities on platforms. According to The Guardian, the law will include exemptions for parody, satire, and journalistic use, aiming to balance protections with expression.
The bill arrives amid mounting global concern over deepfake abuse. The U.S. introduced its own “Take It Down Act”, while South Korea criminalized explicit deepfakes in 2024. The EU’s AI Act requires transparency but stops short of empowering individuals to remove or challenge synthetic likenesses. Denmark’s model may become the EU standard if the nation pushes it forward during its upcoming presidency.
What Comes Next
As AP News reports, Denmark’s proposed law has bipartisan support and is set for public consultation this summer, with final passage expected by the end of 2025. The law is expected to trigger broader legislative debates across the EU.
If enacted, Denmark’s shift from privacy-based protections to copyright enforcement could reset how democracies confront the AI age—where identity theft is no longer a matter of stolen passwords, but stolen faces.
