Denmark Seeks Ways to Protect Its Citizens Against the Deepfake Threat
Denmark is aiming to safeguard not only its citizens but also artists and performers whose images or voices are imitated without permission, through a new law.
In 2021, Danish game broadcaster Marie Watson discovered that a photo sent to her had been manipulated from a vacation snapshot; however, her clothes had been digitally erased in the image. Overwhelmed by seeing herself naked in the picture, Watson confessed, 'I was reduced to tears.'
This technology, known as deepfake, enables the creation of fake but extremely realistic images and sounds of individuals using artificial intelligence. With the proliferation of video production tools from companies like OpenAI and Google in recent years, these counterfeit contents have rapidly multiplied. From manipulations targeting celebrities like Taylor Swift and Katy Perry to election interferences, numerous instances of misuse have brought the dangers of this technology to the fore.
Now, Denmark is seeking ways to combat this issue.
Source: Euronews
What is Deepfake?
Deepfake refers to the general term for counterfeit content that realistically imitates a person's face, voice, or movements using artificial intelligence technology. In videos produced with this technology, individuals can appear to be saying things they never actually said or be shown in places they've never been, easily creating a sense of reality in the viewer.
Initially used in creative fields such as cinema and digital art, the use of deepfake technology has gradually become widespread for malicious purposes as well. Particularly, its employment in areas such as political manipulation, reputation attacks on celebrities, and violations of personal privacy, is sparking serious ethical and legal debates worldwide.
Denmark is currently working on its copyright laws. It might soon be possible for you to hold copyright over your own image.
Denmark aims to protect not only its citizens, but also artists and performers whose images or voices are imitated and shared without permission.
The legislation, expected to be enacted at the beginning of next year, will bring about a significant change in copyright law by banning deepfake shares to prevent the unauthorized use of individuals' appearance or voice online. Once the law is in effect, Danish citizens will hold copyright over their own images and can request the removal of unauthorized content from platforms. Parody and satire are exempt from this regulation; however, the exact boundaries are yet to be clearly defined.
Experts hold the view that this step represents a significant threshold.
According to experts, Denmark's new regulation is set to be one of the most comprehensive steps taken by a government against the spread of disinformation through deepfake technology.
Henry Ajder, the founder of the consulting firm Latent Space Advisory and a prominent figure in the field of productive artificial intelligence, praised the government's determination to adapt the law to these new technologies. Highlighting the importance of the regulation, Ajder noted, 'When someone asks me 'How can I protect myself from being a victim of deepfake?' most of the time, my response is, 'Unfortunately, there's very little you can do.''
The world is in pursuit of precautions...
In May, US President Donald Trump, with bipartisan support, signed a law that criminalizes the dissemination or threat of dissemination of intimate images, including deepfakes, without the person's consent.
South Korea took a similar step last year, implementing a regulation that increases penalties against deepfake pornography and imposes stricter obligations on social media platforms.
Denmark's Minister of Culture, Jakob EngelSchmidt, stated that such digital manipulations distort the perception of reality and fuel disinformation. He announced that the bill received broad support in parliament. In a speech at an artificial intelligence and copyright conference held in September, he said, 'A situation where a politician is deepfaked and cannot remove this content weakens our democracy.'
While individuals won't face imprisonment, hefty penalties could be in store for large corporations.
The law will only be applicable within the borders of Denmark and will not impose penalties such as fines or imprisonment on individual social media users. However, according to Culture Minister Jakob EngelSchmidt, major tech companies that fail to remove deepfake content could face hefty fines.
Expert Henry Ajder pointed out that YouTube, owned by Google, has an 'extremely advanced system for striking a balance between copyright protection and creative freedom.' According to Ajder, this approach demonstrates an awareness of the seriousness of the threat at hand.
On the other hand, Meta, the owner of Facebook and Instagram, as well as Twitch and TikTok, did not respond to requests for comment. EngelSchmidt conveyed that Denmark, which is currently holding the rotating presidency of the European Union, has seen interest in this regulation from some member countries, such as France and Ireland.
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