COPENHAGEN: Denmark is set to introduce legislation aimed at banning the unauthorized digital copying and sharing of lifelike representations of people, including their voices and physical appearance, as part of efforts to tackle AI-generated deepfakes.
Culture Minister Zenia Stampe said the proposed law would protect people's privacy by preventing digital imitations of their appearance and voices from being distributed without their consent.
Stampe said AI-generated videos and images could spread misinformation and make it increasingly difficult to distinguish between authentic and manipulated content.
“One of the main goals of the bill is to get the tech giants to take down manipulated content quickly so that it causes as little harm as possible,” Stampe said.
The minister also described her own experience of having a profile photo turned into a deepfake video showing her speaking. She said the incident felt intrusive even though the video was labeled as satire.
The proposed legislation would apply broadly to the public and artists, while maintaining exceptions for parody, satire, caricature and other forms of expression that criticize people in positions of power or wider society.
The bill would require social media companies and online platforms to promptly remove illegal deepfake content.
Satire would remain protected, although Stampe acknowledged that distinguishing legitimate satire from unlawful manipulation could be difficult.
Courts would ultimately determine whether specific content qualifies as satire or whether claims of satire are being used to justify illegal material.
The proposal still requires parliamentary approval. Stampe said she hopes the legislation will take effect around the turn of the year.
