Spain moves to curb AI deepfakes with new consent rules on images and voices
Spain’s government has approved draft legislation aimed at restricting the misuse of artificial intelligence to create deepfake images and voices. The proposal tightens consent requirements, particularly for children, and seeks to limit how images shared online can be reused without permission.
Spain has taken a new step to address the growing impact of AI on privacy and personal rights. On 13 January 2026, the Spanish cabinet approved draft legislation designed to curb the creation and use of AI-generated deepfakes and to strengthen consent rules around images, voices, and likenesses.
What the proposed law does
The Spanish draft law introduces several key changes. It sets 16 years as the minimum age at which a person can give valid consent for the use of their own image. This strengthens protections for children and teenagers, who are particularly vulnerable to the misuse of images shared online.
The proposal also limits the reuse of images, voices, or likenesses found on the internet. Sharing personal or family photos on social media would no longer imply broad permission for those images to be reused in other contexts, including AI-generated content. Using someone’s image or voice through AI for advertising or commercial purposes without their consent would be considered illegitimate.
At the same time, the draft allows for creative, satirical, or fictional uses involving public figures, provided that such content is clearly identified as being generated by AI.
Why this matters
As AI tools become more accessible, the risk of misuse increases. Non-consensual deepfakes, particularly sexualised ones, can cause serious harm, including reputational damage, harassment, and psychological distress. Children are especially at risk, as images shared innocently can be repurposed in harmful ways.
Spain’s move reflects a broader trend across Europe. The European Union is already working toward rules that will require member states to criminalise non-consensual sexual deepfakes by 2027. National laws like Spain’s are part of this wider effort to adapt legal frameworks to emerging technologies.
What happens next
The Spanish draft law must still go through public consultations before it returns to the government for final approval and is submitted to parliament. If adopted, it would place clearer legal limits on how AI can be used to reproduce people’s images and voices, while balancing protection of personal rights with space for legitimate creative expression.
