news 
Denmark’s Plan to Fight Deepfakes: Give Citizens Copyright to Their Own Likeness
Danish authorities are considering a groundbreaking plan to combat the rising threat of deepfakes, by granting citizens copyright over their own likeness. The proposed legislation would give individuals the exclusive right to control how their image, facial features, and voice can be used in digital media.
This move is part of Denmark’s efforts to address the proliferation of AI-generated content that could potentially harm people’s reputation or even perpetuate disinformation. By giving citizens copyright over their own likeness, authorities hope to create a strong deterrent against the unauthorized use of personal images, faces, and voices.
Under this new law, if someone uses your likeness without permission, you would have the right to request its removal from online platforms. Additionally, fines would be levied on tech companies that fail to comply with takedown requests, which could have significant financial implications.
The proposed amendment also aims to address the growing issue of deepfakes being used for nefarious purposes. For instance, it would prevent AI-generated “realistic, digitally generated imitations” of a person’s performance or appearance without their consent. This means that AI-fueled performances or songs by artists without their permission would be considered an infringement on their rights.
In a statement, Danish Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt emphasized the importance of this measure: “Human beings can be run through the digital copy machine and be misused for all sorts of purposes. I’m not willing to accept that.”
While some may raise concerns about the unintended consequences of such a law – for example, could an individual use their copyright protection to demand removal of an image they simply don’t like? – the proposed amendment appears to prioritize the need for stronger protections against deepfakes.
It’s worth noting that Denmark is not alone in its efforts to tackle deepfakes. The United States recently passed the Take It Down Act, a more narrowly defined bill that grants people the right to request removal of non-consensual sexually explicit images online.
However, Denmark’s plan takes a bold step by giving individuals copyright over their own likeness, a move that could have far-reaching implications for the global fight against deepfakes.
Source: gizmodo.com
