The Danish government has proposed new legislation to crackdown on deepfakes.

A bill that's expected to pass early next year would change copyright law by imposing a ban on the sharing of deepfakes to protect citizens’ personal characteristics - such as their appearance or voice - from being imitated and shared online without their consent.

Deepfakes have become easier to make and look or sound exponentially more realistic thanks to technological advances and the proliferation of generative artificial intelligence tools.

Marie Watson, a Danish video game live-streamer, had digitally altered images taken from her Instagram sent to her in 2021. The unknown account had taken a vacation picture and removed Watson's clothing, making her appear naked.

“It overwhelmed me so much,” Watson recalls. “I just started bursting out in tears because suddenly, I was there naked."

Danish Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said in September the bill had broad support from lawmakers because such digital manipulations can stir doubts about reality and spread misinformation.

“If you’re able to deepfake a politician without her or him being able to have that product taken down, that will undermine our democracy,” he told reporters.

If the bill is enacted, Danish citizens would get the copyright over their own likeness.

In theory, they then would be able to demand that online platforms take down content shared without their permission.

The law would still allow for parodies and satire, though it’s unclear how that will be determined.

Intellectual property lawyer Jakob Plesner Mathiasen says that the legislation shows the widespread need to combat the online danger that's now infused into every aspect of Danish life.

“The ministry wouldn’t make this bill if there hadn’t been any occasion for it,” he said.

“We're seeing it with fake news, with government elections. We are seeing it with pornography, and we’re also seeing it with famous people and also everyday people - like you and me.”

AP video by James Brooks