In a global initiative focused on protecting human identity and ensuring respect for diversity , Denmark is moving forward with a radical change to its legal framework, recognizing its citizens’ intellectual property rights to their faces and voices . With this legislation, the country aims to address the phenomenon of “deepfakes,” i.e. the manipulation of sound, image and video through artificial intelligence.

Deepfakes can be powerful tools of disinformation, with implications for personal dignity , political trust and democratic cohesion . Groups representing diversity are particularly vulnerable: artists, activists, minorities, politicians and other public figures.

Danish Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said: “We are now sending a clear message to all citizens that they have the right to their own body, their own voice and their own facial features.”

This protection is particularly important in an era where artificial intelligence has made it easier than ever to digitally copy human identity. The new bill also provides for strengthened clauses for musicians and artists , so that their expression is not exploited without consent.

The bill is widely supported by all parties in the Danish parliament, with Lars Christian Lilleholt, leader of the Liberals, pointing out: “When we cannot trust what we see, democracy itself is threatened.”

One of the most prominent examples of the abuse of deepfake technology occurred last year, when a fake audio clip featuring President Joe Biden’s voice was released during the New Hampshire primary.

The Danish initiative recognizes individual identity as more than a biological characteristic – as an element with profound cultural, social and personal significance , which must be protected with the same respect as any other expression of human diversity .

SOURCE: Times Media Ltd / News Licensing