Gianpaolo Todisco
If past In the ever-evolving landscape of law and technology, Denmark has taken a bold step into uncharted territory. A new legislative proposal seeks to give individuals copyright-like control over their own face, voice, and likeness—a direct response to the rise of AI-generated deepfakes.
This could become a landmark development not only for Europe, but for global digital rights.sed this autumn, Denmark plans to champion similar legal reforms across the EU during its upcoming presidency.
With the proliferation of generative AI tools, creating realistic videos or audio clips of someone saying or doing things they never did is now accessible to anyone with a smartphone. While some deepfakes are used for satire or entertainment, others cross the line into invasion of privacy, fraud, harassment, and reputational harm.
Existing laws around defamation or privacy often fall short when addressing AI-manipulated content. Most notably, there’s a legal void around who owns a person’s likeness in a digital format.
The Danish Ministry of Culture has proposed a legal framework that would treat a person's image, voice, and facial expressions as intellectual property. Under the proposal:
Individuals can demand the removal of deepfake content created or shared without consent.
Violators can be sued for damages, similarly to copyright infringement.
Parody and satire remain protected, preserving freedom of expression.
In a digital world where data is currency and identity can be faked in seconds, this proposal places control back in the hands of individuals.
Denmark has already signaled that, if the law passes, it intends to champion similar reforms at the EU level during its 2025 presidency. This aligns with ongoing discussions in Brussels around AI regulation, digital rights, and ethical frameworks for emerging technologies.
This development could redefine fundamental legal concepts:
Personal identity as IP: A new category of rights where human traits are treated as digital assets.
Stronger guardrails on AI: A legal model that balances innovation with accountability.
Precedent-setting potential: If adopted across the EU or other regions, it could shape future global standards.
As AI capabilities continue to blur the lines between real and artificial, legal systems must adapt. Denmark’s proposal reflects a proactive approach—not just reacting to harm, but reshaping the very framework of digital identity.
Whether this model becomes a European standard or remains a national experiment, one thing is certain: the age of treating your likeness like intellectual property has begun.