Denmark Introduces Bill to Protect Faces and Voices From AI Imitation

Denmark has introduced a bill that would make it illegal to share realistic AI-generated imitations of people’s faces and voices without their consent, giving individuals greater legal control over how their likenesses are used.

The proposal, introduced by Culture Minister Zenia Stampe on October 8, would amend Denmark’s Copyright Act to protect ordinary people and performers whose appearances, voices, or performances are digitally replicated. The government also wants major online platforms to remove manipulated content quickly to limit the harm it can cause.

The bill includes exceptions for caricature, parody, satire, and criticism of political or social power. These protections would not apply in certain cases where an imitation spreads misinformation that poses a specified serious danger to another person’s rights or essential interests, or to life or property. 

The proposal is driven by a growing concern about nonconsensual deepfakes, including fabricated intimate images and videos used to harass or exploit victims. Women and girls are disproportionately targeted by this type of abuse. Realistic voice and video imitations can also be used to impersonate people or spread false information.

Denmark’s government hopes the law will take effect at the start of 2027. The proposal follows a political agreement reached in 2025 and adds to international efforts to establish clearer legal protections against the unauthorized use of people’s likenesses.