In a bold move aimed at countering the rise of AI-driven deepfakes, the Denmark government has unveiled a draft law that would grant every citizen full ownership of their own likeness — including face, body and voice — under amended copyright protections.
The proposal, introduced by Culture Minister Jakob Engel‑Schmidt and backed by a broad parliamentary majority, aims to treat a person’s bodily attributes and vocal identity as intellectual-property-style rights. The goal: no AI system or company should replicate or exploit someone’s likeness without consent.
Why now?
Generative AI tools have steadily grown more sophisticated, enabling realistic manipulations of video, audio and imagery — from impersonating voices to creating fake videos of people doing or saying things they never did. Traditional copyright, defamation and personality-rights laws have struggled to keep pace with these innovations.
According to the Danish culture ministry, the proposed amendment is a direct response to the threat posed by unchecked deepfakes: the risk that human identity can be “run through the digital copy machine and misused for all sorts of purposes.” Minister Engel-Schmidt said: “Everybody has the right to their own body, their own voice and their own facial features.”
What the law would change
Under the draft legislation:
Individuals would have the right to demand that realistic digital imitations of their appearance, voice or body be removed if used without consent.
Those whose likeness is misused could seek compensation.
The rules would apply broadly — not only to public figures but to every citizen. This is believed to be a first in Europe.
Satire and parody would remain protected, so the law is not meant to curb legitimate artistic or comedic uses.
Tech platforms that fail to act on complaints could face heavy penalties; the culture ministry flagged the possibility of “severe fines” or involvement by the European Commission under platform-regulation frameworks.
Why it matters globally
Denmark’s proposal may mark a turning point in how democracies regulate the digital realm of identity and AI. For the first time, a state is positioning a person’s physical and vocal traits as something that can be owned, protected and enforced like a copyrightable work. Legal experts say this could become a blueprint for future legislation across Europe and beyond.
Furthermore, if successful, the law might force tech companies to rethink how AI-generated content handles likeness, voice and style replication — potentially creating safeguards in generative-AI pipelines, metadata tagging, removal mechanisms and platform accountability.
What to watch for
Scope and definition of “likeness”: Laws must clarify what counts as a “realistic digital imitation” — is it only direct face/voice cloning, or also style-based or composite recreations? Legal analyses warn that using copyright to cover such traits may raise conceptual conflicts (copyright protects expression not identity).
Enforcement mechanics: How will individuals submit takedown requests? What is the role of platforms (both domestic and international) under this law?
Cross-border reach and EU compatibility: Since much content is generated and shared internationally, Denmark will have to align with EU law and consider how foreign platforms comply. Indeed, the plan is to submit the draft for consultation before summer and hope for passage by late 2025.
Impact on artistic creation and free speech: While parody and satire are explicitly protected, some commentators argue that stretching copyright to include identity traits may chill creative use of “voice, style or likeness” and blur free-speech boundaries.
What this means for everyday people
If passed, every Danish citizen would have a legal right to say “You cannot use my face, voice or body in AI systems without my permission.” For creators, actors and public figures, the protection would go deeper — letting them block unauthorized AI-generated imitations of performances, voices or styles. For the tech-industry, it sends a clear message: identity is no longer a free resource for generative-AI experimentation.
Final thoughts
Denmark is stepping into uncharted legal territory by recasting human identity traits as property under copyright. This move recognises that in an age of synthetic media, the boundaries between real and fake identities are rapidly dissolving — and it asserts that individuals must retain control. Whether other countries follow remains to be seen, but Denmark’s proposal is at the forefront of the global reckoning with artificial-intelligence, identity and digital rights.
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Sources:
“Denmark to tackle deepfakes by giving people copyright to their own features,” The Guardian, June 27 2025.
“Denmark deepfake copyright proposal,” Gowling WLG, August 2025.
“Deepfake legislation: Denmark takes action,” World Economic Forum, July 2025.