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Denmark Moves to Ban AI Deepfakes, Giving Citizens Copyright Over Their Own Likeness

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Denmark is preparing to pass one of the world’s toughest laws against AI-generated deepfakes, aiming to give citizens new legal rights over their appearance, voice, and likeness online. The bill — expected to pass early next year — would make it illegal to share or distribute deepfake content without a person’s consent, extending copyright protections to individuals.

The proposed legislation follows growing concern about the rapid spread of deepfakes — hyper-realistic AI-generated videos, images, or audio that impersonate real people. Danish Culture Minister Jakob Engel-Schmidt said the move is essential to protect both private citizens and democracy itself, warning that political deepfakes could “undermine our democracy” by spreading falsehoods.

Under the new law, Danes would be able to demand takedowns of AI-generated content that misuses their likeness, while parody and satire would remain protected. Major tech platforms that fail to remove harmful deepfakes could face significant fines, although individuals are unlikely to face criminal penalties.

Experts have praised the move as a landmark step. “When people ask, ‘what can I do to protect myself from being deepfaked,’ the answer right now is basically nothing,” said Henry Ajder, a generative AI researcher and founder of Latent Space Advisory. “Denmark is one of the first governments to change that.”

The Danish proposal mirrors similar measures abroad. The United States recently criminalized the sharing of non-consensual intimate deepfakes, while South Korea introduced harsh penalties for deepfake pornography. Denmark’s initiative could now influence European Union policy, with France and Ireland reportedly showing interest in adopting similar laws.

For victims like Marie Watson, a Danish video game streamer whose photos were digitally altered and shared online, the legislation comes too late to undo the damage but offers hope for future protection. “When it’s online, you’re done. You can’t do anything,” she said. “It’s out of your control.”

Tesla’s Sales Rise in Parts of Europe but Pressure Mounts From Rivals

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Tesla recorded a modest rebound in several European markets in September, buoyed by sales of its updated Model Y, but analysts warn the U.S. automaker faces mounting challenges from both European and Chinese competitors amid an ageing product lineup.

According to local industry data released Wednesday, Tesla’s sales rose in France, Denmark, Norway, and Spain, with the Model Y emerging as Denmark’s best-selling vehicle. However, new car registrations fell in Sweden and the Netherlands—the latter marking its ninth consecutive monthly decline.

Despite recent gains, Tesla’s broader European performance remains weak. Between January and August, Tesla’s sales fell 42.9% year-on-year in the European Union and 32.6% across Europe overall, even as the region’s total EV sales jumped 24.8%.

Matthias Schmidt of Schmidt Automotive Research described the September uptick as “a bottoming out of the downward trend rather than any real signs of an expected uplift.” He said an affordable Model Y variant, expected in 2026, could help, but Tesla’s prospects remain “tough in a more competitive market environment.”

Once dominant in Europe, Tesla now faces an influx of new EVs from Volkswagen, BMW, Renault, and Chinese players like BYD, which outsold Tesla in the EU in August for the second time this year.

The automaker’s reputation has also been affected by political backlash against CEO Elon Musk, whose support for Donald Trump’s re-election campaign and European far-right parties has alienated some consumers.

Andy Palmer, chairman of Electric Vehicles UK, said Tesla is still “a big fish, but the pond is now full of serious competitors.” Unless it refreshes its range soon, he warned, “it will keep losing market share.”

Performance varied sharply across Europe in September:

  • France: +2.74% year-on-year

  • Denmark: +20.5%, with the Model Y leading sales

  • Norway: +14.7%, with Model Y and Model 3 ranking top two

  • Spain: +3.4%, boosted by a 60% surge in Model Y registrations

  • Sweden: –64% year-on-year, though higher than August levels

  • Netherlands: –48%

Analyst Andy Leyland of SC Insights said Tesla’s biggest challenge lies ahead: “Chinese automakers are rapidly building distribution networks in Germany, the UK, and France. It will be critical to see whether Tesla can still compete.”

Unexplained Electronic Components Found in Denmark’s Energy Equipment Imports, Investigation Underway

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Unidentified electronic components have been discovered in imported energy infrastructure equipment in Denmark, raising concerns over potential security vulnerabilities in the country’s critical power systems, according to industry group Green Power Denmark.

The components were found during a routine inspection of printed circuit boards intended for use in Denmark’s energy supply network. The discovery has prompted an internal investigation to assess the nature and intent behind the components’ inclusion.

“We don’t know how critical it is or whether there are bad intentions behind it,” said Jorgen Christensen, technical director at Green Power Denmark, in a statement to Reuters. “But these components should not be present in infrastructure equipment.”

Christensen did not disclose the origin of the equipment, the specific technology it was intended for (such as solar power systems), or which parties are conducting the investigation.

The Danish Ministry for Preparedness and Resilience declined to comment on the situation, and no responses were received from the Justice Ministry, Energy Ministry, or national intelligence services regarding whether a formal government-led inquiry had been initiated.

The incident comes at a time of heightened international attention on supply chain risks and cybersecurity threats to critical infrastructure, including power grids and renewable energy assets.

“This is highly concerning. It is important that an investigation is underway,” said Walburga Hemetsberger, CEO of SolarPower Europe, who emphasized the broader implications for the continent’s energy security.

Christensen noted that while the components could have been included for benign reasons — such as being part of a multi-purpose circuit board design — their unexplained presence in systems designated for energy infrastructure is unacceptable.

“It’s possible the supplier had no malicious intent. We can’t say at this point, but that doesn’t change the fact that these components shouldn’t be there,” he said.

The development follows a separate report by Reuters last week, which revealed that U.S. energy officials had found unauthorized communication devices in Chinese-made solar inverters and batteries, capable of bypassing cybersecurity firewalls and threatening grid stability.

The Danish case, first reported by local media outlet Berlingske, adds to growing scrutiny of imported technologies used in national infrastructure projects, particularly from unknown or sensitive origin sources.