UNICEF reports that 1.2 million children worldwide had their images manipulated into sexual deepfakes in the past year. Denmark is preparing new laws to criminalize such content, but experts warn the fight against AI-generated child abuse is only beginning.
The numbers are staggering and deeply uncomfortable. According to a joint study by UNICEF, ECPAT and INTERPOL, at least 1.2 million children across 11 countries experienced AI manipulation of their photos into sexually explicit deepfakes last year. In some countries, that means one child in every 25. One child in an average classroom.
Denmark was not included in the survey, which covered countries like Mexico, Pakistan and Serbia. But the technology does not respect borders. Neither does the harm.
What Makes Deepfake Abuse Real Abuse
Line Grove Hermansen, Director for Communication and Advocacy at UNICEF Denmark, stated it plainly. Sexualized images of children created or manipulated with artificial intelligence are sexual abuse. Deepfake abuse is abuse. There is nothing fake about the harm inflicted on children.
The distinction matters because some people still treat AI-generated content as somehow less serious. But when a child’s image or identity is misused, the child is directly violated. The shame, fear and loss of control are real. The possibility of viral spread is real.
I have lived in Denmark long enough to know how deeply Danes value consent and personal boundaries. Yet technology is racing ahead of those values. Tools that strip clothing from photos or generate fake sex videos are freely available online. Anyone with a smartphone can become an abuser.
Denmark’s Legal Response Takes Shape
Denmark is trying to catch up. A broad majority in Folketinget has agreed on new legislation to establish a right to one’s own body and voice. The deal, announced by the Ministry of Culture, covers all parties except Nye Borgerlige.
The proposed changes to copyright law will make it illegal to share deepfakes and other realistic digital reproductions of personal characteristics without consent. The law is expected to take effect in 2026, though sources differ on whether that means March or July.
Separately, the government has proposed making the production of manipulated sexual material criminal, not just the sharing. That matters. The abuse often happens in the threat itself, before material is ever posted online.
According to a study cited by civil society organizations, around 45,000 Danes over 15 have been targeted with fake porn in a single year. The true number involving children is unknown. Most cases go unreported.
A Novel Approach With Legal Questions
Denmark is using copyright law to tackle what is fundamentally a privacy and dignity problem. The European Parliament’s research service calls it a novel approach. It may become a model for the EU.
But legal experts are skeptical. A Wolters Kluwer copyright blog argues Denmark has the right idea but the wrong legal framework. Copyright traditionally protects creative works, not personal rights. Using it to regulate deepfakes could create conflicts with existing data protection and personality rights.
The criticism is valid. Denmark is wedging a new protection into old structures. Whether that works in practice remains to be seen.
What UNICEF Wants Governments To Do
UNICEF is not waiting for perfect legislation. The organization is calling on all governments to expand the definition of child sexual abuse material to explicitly include AI-generated content. Producing, obtaining, possessing or distributing such material should be criminal everywhere.
AI developers must build safety into their models from the start. That means filters, watermarking and blocking tools that prevent abuse before it happens. Some developers are doing this. Many are not.
Digital platforms and tech companies must stop the spread of AI-generated abuse material, not just remove it after the damage is done. That requires investment in detection tools and faster response to reports. As Danish organizations including Digitalt Ansvar have documented, Google still leads users to manipulated sexual content even after the issue was raised.
Children Know The Risk
In several countries surveyed, up to two thirds of children said they worry AI could be used to create fake sex videos or images of them. That fear is not abstract. Danish police report increasing use of AI for sextortion, particularly targeting young men, and for producing deepfake abuse material involving minors.
The tools are getting easier to use. Nudification apps require nothing more than an uploaded photo from social media. A confirmation picture, a beach snapshot, a school photo. All can be weaponized in minutes.
I think about the Danish teenagers I know. They post photos online like teenagers everywhere. They have no way to prevent someone from feeding those images into an AI tool. Neither do their parents.
The Fight Ahead
Denmark’s legal changes are a step forward. But laws alone will not solve this. The technology evolves faster than parliaments can legislate. Enforcement across borders is nearly impossible. And as AI tools become more powerful and accessible, the scale of potential abuse grows exponentially.
UNICEF’s message is urgent. Children cannot wait for legislation to catch up with technology. The harm is happening now. Deepfake abuse is abuse. Denmark seems to understand that. Whether the rest of the world will follow remains an open question.
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