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Denmark Declares “Your Face Is Your Property” — Will the UAE Be Next?
By Al Kabban & Associates
From Digital Doppelgänger to Personal Property
Imagine scrolling through social media, only to see your own face in an outrageous AI‑generated video, not flattering, yet disturbingly lifelike. For most of the world, that nightmare currently has no legal remedy. Denmark is changing that. In a landmark move, it proposes amendments granting citizens copyright‑style rights over their face, voice, and likeness, making it illegal to share realistic AI‑generated copies without consent. Platforms face stiff fines for non‑compliance, while satire and parody remain protected.
This isn’t theatrics, it’s the future of individual identity rights in an era where seeing isn’t always believing. The Danish initiative breaks new ground by defining a person’s bodily features as intellectual property.
Why It Matters: Deepfakes as a Threat to Individual and Collective Trust
Deepfakes, ultra‑realistic AI media manipulating faces, voices, and gestures, are now widespread. From manipulated political speeches to fake celebrity endorsements, the technology has become a vector for fraud, misinformation, and reputational damage.
Denmark’s proposed law aims to reclaim control over personal identity in the digital realm, demanding removal of non‑consensual AI content and enabling compensation even without reputational harm being proven. Those who misuse someone's likeness could face legal consequences.
Fast‑Forward to the UAE: Why This Should Be Our Next Conversation
The UAE has embarked on a bold journey to become an AI powerhouse through massive investments, cutting-edge innovation hubs, and government support. In that context, failing to protect personal identity in AI simulations seems paradoxical.
Although no specific deepfake law exists today, the UAE tackles malicious AI misuse via existing frameworks. Defamation in the UAE is penalized under the Criminal Code, and cyber-fraud via its UAE Cybercrimes Law can result in up to a year in jail and fines between AED 250,000 and AED 1 million.
But these are reactive tools. A law affirming individuals’ rights over their own likeness would offer proactive and preventive safeguards, boosting creative innovation while protecting privacy and trust.
A Tale of Two Cities
Copenhagen: Loosely passing legislation that says, “Your voice, your face, they belong to you. AI doesn’t own them.” A major step in digital rights.
Dubai: Becoming a global AI capital, where even the sight of something real may soon be suspect. Without legal guardrails, deepfakes could erode trust faster than the law can keep pace.
Imagine a Dubai where a citizen’s face is taken, manipulated, and spread online, only for them to find there is no legal shelter. But imagine a future where they can demand removal and compensation, just as Denmark is building.
Why We Believe the UAE Should Act
Denmark’s approach is not fantasy, it’s feasible. It preserves satire, mirrors global intellectual property principles, and respects democratic norms. As a rising AI hub, the UAE has both the opportunity and the responsibility to lead in responsible regulation.
Al Kabban & Associates is uniquely positioned to support this conversation by assisting in drafting identity‑rights legislation, to advising tech firms on compliance and protecting individuals’ personal identities. We bring decades of UAE legal expertise to ensure that AI progress aligns with ethical innovation.
For more information or to schedule a consultation, contact us at +971 4 453 9090 or visit www.alkabban.com.
You can also follow us on social media for more updates on everything law related in the UAE: @Alkabban_Law
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