It has been announced that the Danish government intend to take a firm stance against the creation and distributing of AI-generated deepfakes by giving citizens copyright in their body, facial features and voice. If passed, the change in law is thought to be the first of its kind in Europe.
A deepfake is defined by the Danish government as a very realistic digital representation of a person, including their appearance and voice. Culture minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt has stated that he believes everyone has the right to their own body, voice and facial features, which copyright law in the country currently does not protect.
It is reported that 9 of the 10 MPs in government back the proposal, making it likely that it will become a reality in Danish copyright law. It would likely give Danish citizens the right to require online platforms to remove deepfake content if it is shared without their consent. Further, it would also protect realistic, digitally generated imitations of performances. However, the proposal would still allow parodies and satire.
The Department of Culture plans to submit the amendment to Danish Law this coming autumn.
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