Nicosia, Cyprus. The unauthorised publication of deepfakes is now a criminal offence under a law passed by parliament on Thursday. The legislation was introduced through an amendment to the basic Copyright Law.
Definition and scope
A deepfake is synthetic media—images, video, or audio—created using advanced artificial intelligence to realistically replace one person’s likeness or voice with another’s.
Legislation and sponsor
The bill criminalising deepfakes was tabled by Akel MP Christos Christofides. It aims to prohibit the dissemination of content mimicking the physical likeness of a person without their express consent and to prohibit content mimicking the performance of an artist without their express consent.
Copyright protection period
Copyright protection extends to 50 years after a person’s or artist’s death.
Civil remedies
If a person’s likeness or voice is simulated without their express consent, complainants may file a civil lawsuit for compensation and/or seek injunctive relief to prevent a repeat offence.
Rationale cited in parliament
In remarks on the House floor, Christofides said the legislation needed updating due to the spread of fake audiovisual material, including investment scams, fake advertising, and content intended to tarnish people’s reputation and dignity. He also cited reports that artificial intelligence is being used to create sexualised or degrading fake content, especially against women, without consent and without an effective mechanism to withdraw the content after circulation.
How do you think the new law will affect the spread of deepfakes in Cyprus?
