Denmark has passed a new law equating AI-generated child abuse material with real child abuse, aiming to combat the rapid spread of such content. The legislation, effective July 1st, allows for prosecution of those who create, distribute, or possess computer-generated sexual material of children.

The move follows a significant increase in reports of computer-generated abusive material. Red Barnet (Save the Children Denmark) reported a surge from 18 reports in 2020 to 2,770 in 2024. The organization proposed elements of the new law and believes it will greatly improve child protection. Secretary General Johanne Schmidt-Nielsen states it provides a “much better opportunity to combat the sharing of image and video material that clearly sexually abuses children.”

The law extends to “posing pictures” and videos of individuals under 18 in sexualized contexts, potentially classifying them as abusive. It also outlaws the production of manipulated sexual material, like deepfake pornography, even without distribution. Police are authorized to produce and share fake sexual material with individuals under 18 for investigative purposes.

The legislative package comes after a man from Randers was convicted in January for creating and distributing AI-generated child abuse images, marking the first such conviction in Denmark. He claimed his actions were a “good deed” by providing an alternative to real child abuse material, but the court rejected this argument. He was sentenced to 1 year and 3 months, with three months unconditional, a decision he has appealed.

The man was identified as a central figure in a larger network uncovered through “Operation Cumberland,” a collaboration with Europol. This operation has identified 273 suspects across 19 countries, resulting in 25 arrests, 33 house searches, and the confiscation of 173 electronic devices.

Police Commissioner Sasha Maria Nellemann Nielsen of the National Unit for Special Crime (NSK) describes the ease of creating computer-generated abusive material as “very worrying,” highlighting the difficulty in identifying potential victims due to the material’s realism.

Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard emphasizes the harmful impact of creating and sharing AI-generated abuse, stating it “fuels that kind of abuse” and creates “derivative victims,” underlining the need for the tightened legislation.