Deepfake technology, powered by Artificial Intelligence to create hyper-realistic videos, images, and audio, has transitioned from an innovative tool to a global threat. Initially
developed to enhance creativity in entertainment, healthcare, and education, synthetic media has now become a tool for disinformation, fraud, and societal harm, raising challenges pertaining to ethics, cybersecurity, and politics and necessitating international policy responses. The accessibility of deepfake tools, such as Meta’s ‘AI Twin’ feature on Facebook and Instagram, or mobile platforms like Captions.ai and Character.ai, has heightened the threat.
Deepfake is becoming a tool for sophisticated cybercrime. A deepfake video call impersonating a senior executive resulted in a $25 million loss for a company.
In the political sphere, deepfakes are undermining democratic integrity. Recent elections have seen rampant use of synthetic media in disinformation campaigns and AI-generated endorsements of candidates by historical figures. These manipulations distort the political discourse and erode public trust. The proliferation of deepfake
technology among minors has had alarming consequences. School-aged children are increasingly using accessible AI tools to create explicit and degrading images of peers, causing profound psychological harm. In the United States of America, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children recorded 485,000 reports of AI-generated child sexual abuse material in the first half of 2025 alone. In conflict zones, deepfakes
have pushed for creating instability by falsifying military communications and manipulating public sentiment. During the Israel-Iran and the India-Pakistan tensions, synthetic media was used to control the narrative of the conflict.
Given this troubling context, Denmark’s proposed law marks a positive step toward addressing deepfake misuse. It mandates explicit consent for the use of digital likenesses, grants individuals ownership of their digital identity, and imposes legal consequences for violations. The legislation includes protection where individuals can sue for unauthorised recreations of their likeness or voice as well as performance protection that extends to scripted, improvised, or non-verbal performances and performer-specific protection, which shields public figures from AI-based mimicry. Platforms such as Meta and TikTok could be hit with fines if they fail to take down unauthorised deepfakes featuring Danish citizens. If implemented effectively, this framework could set a global standard for digital identity protection and influence updates to the European Union’s AI Act.
The rise of deepfake technology demands a multifaceted response to balance
its transformative potential with its capacity for harm. Effective policy must integrate technical, educational, and regulatory measures. Technical safeguards, such as watermarking, content provenance certification, and automated detection systems, are critical to enhancing accountability and verifying digital content. Simultaneously, robust digital literacy programmes, emphasising ethical use of synthetic media, are essential to empower younger generations to navigate this digital landscape responsibly. Social media platforms must also face stringent accountability with clear legal frameworks mandating swift removal of infringing content.
Denmark’s legislative proposal, which prioritises explicit consent and digital identity ownership, offers a pioneering model to curb malpractices. However, a comprehensive global strategy, uniting policy, technology, and education, is an imperative.
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