European Legislation | Chinese Legislation | South Korean Legislation
Singapore Legislation | Japanese Legislation | Australian Legislation
European Legislation Database
The JULIA Database covers a wide range of AI policies being established in the European Union as well as specific countries within the Union, along with nations like Canada and the United Kingdom. This database covers case law, legislation, and soft laws, which it then summarizes. The stated goals of this organization are to analyze how AI is used by courts and other public and private institutions, and the impact that has on fundamental rights as defined by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights. Beyond the database, JULIA provides articles detailing AI usage throughout Europe.
Note for Future Reference: The EU AI Act requires a EU Database for High-Risk AI Systems Listed in ANNEX III of the Act. This goes into effect on August 2nd, 2026, thereby requiring an update to the European legislative database when the time comes.
European Union Legislation
Passed 12/7/2024
As it related to Deepfakes the EU AI ACT defines “deep fake” as AI-generated or manipulated image, audio or video content that resembles existing persons, objects, places, entities or events and would falsely appear to a person to be authentic or truthful.
This law requires that those who publish deep fake content must label it as such. It also prohibits the use of deepfakes for purposely deceptive and manipulative techniques meant to impair one’s decision making so that they make a decision that they would not have otherwise taken in a manner that causes harm.
European Union Legislation
Aims to protect citizens fundamental rights while engaging in online services. As it relates to deepfakes the law creates a framework for content moderation for digital service providers. The law requires providers of digital services to simplify the process of reporting illegal content by users. If the digital service, including social media platforms, are large enough, they are required to implement risk assessments including the risk of illegal content being disseminated through their service.
General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
European Union Legislation
This bill laid out the underlying foundation for AI regulation in the European Union. The data protection laid out in the bill includes personal biometric data such as one’s voice and image. In order for this sensitive data to be used there must be legal justification or explicit consent for processing. Additionally, the bill ensures a right to erasure which enables individuals to request the removal of unauthorized usage of biometric data.
EU’s Code of Practice on Transparency of AI-Generated Content
European Union Legislation
Expected legislation (May-June 2026)
This bill laid out the underlying foundation for AI regulation in the European Union. The data protection laid out in the bill includes personal biometric data such as one’s voice and image. In order for this sensitive data to be used there must be legal justification or explicit consent for processing. Additionally, the bill ensures a right to erasure which enables individuals to request the removal of unauthorized usage of biometric data.
Provisions on the Administration of Deep Synthesis Internet Information Services
Asian Legislation – China
This legislation specifically addresses deepfake technology which China refers to as “deep synthesis”, which it defines as technologies that use generative sequencing algorithms, such as deep learning and virtual reality, to create text, images, audio, video, virtual scenes, or other information. This includes but is not limited to speech content and biometric features in pictures or videos.
This law reiterates the responsibility of deepfake creators to protect the data of users. They must also establish guidelines, criteria, and process for recognizing false or damaging information, and dispel any information should it be published. This includes putting labels on deep fake content so that it is clear that the media is fake.
Regulations on the Administration of Online Audio and Video Information Services
Asian Legislation – China
This law acts as a general framework for future provisions by strictly banning the use of deepfakes in contributing to the spread of misinformation. This law also mandates that government agencies must regularly inspect online platforms, and that these platforms set up easy access complaint channels that are frequently monitored.
Interim Measures for the Administration of Generative Artificial Intelligence Services
Asian Legislation – China
For the purpose of enshrining the scope of regulations as all public facing entities that use generative AI in some capacity that is available to the public. It goes on to state that all generative AI usage must respect intellectual property laws, the legitimate rights and interests of others, and must not be divisive or endanger national security and interests.
Articles in this legislation also encourage the development of and continual innovation of AI systems so long as they respect previously established laws, and gain the consent of individuals before collecting their data. Additionally, providers of AI must clearly define their purpose, intended audience of their AI implementation and act on illegal behaviors swiftly on their platforms.
Measures for Identifying Artificial Intelligence-Generated and Synthetic Content
Asian Legislation – China
AI Service providers must add an explicit text or voice prompt to identify synthesized content as generative AI. Additionally, service providers must add an implicit identifier within the metadata of the files that generate synthesized content, with the responsibility on the service provider to provide the appropriate labels upon all things identified through the meta data as AI.
Framework Act on Artificial Intelligence
Asian Legislation – South Korea
Korea’s most comprehensive and recently implemented law, January 22, 2026, specifically addressing AI. This law provides definitions for various AI terminology, as well as outlines the responsibilities placed on different organizational levels of the government in dealing with AI systems
The primary implementations of this legislation include the establishment of a National Artificial Intelligence Strategy Committee, the approval of immense public support for the research and development of AI projects, and transparency obligations for providers of AI systems such as mandatory labeling of AI content. There is a noted absence of prohibited AI practices such as the ones found within previous legislation.
Article 82-8 of the Public Official Election Act
Asian Legislation – South Korea
With the intent to ensure confidence and trust in elections this bill states that no one can publish any deepfake material within 90 days of an election for the purposes of electioneering. This law also defines deepfake material as virtual sounds, images, or videos created from AI that are difficult to distinguish from reality.
It is important to note that this is a living document, in that it is frequently amended, with this deepfake provision being established on December 8th, 2023.
Sexual Violence Punishment Act
Asian Legislation – South Korea
This act is a more broad piece of legislation surrounding sex crimes as a whole with a short stipulation for sexual crimes involving deepfakes. The coverage of deepfakes states that any edited, or synthesized materials such as a photo, video, or audio, for a sexual purpose against the will of the subject will be punished.
Online Safety (Relief and Accountability) Bill
Asian Legislation – Singapore
This bill, passed into law in October 2025, expands upon the Protection from Harassment Act 2014, to explicitly regulate deepfake technology as opposed to only indirectly referring to this technology.
This law provides specifics stipulations against deepfake technology which it refers to as inauthentic material. This is any audio, or visual material related to the victim that has been altered or, generated through digital means, and is false or misleading with a realistic enough such that a victim could believe the victim is actually doing what is in the material.
Criminal Law Bill Section 377 BE
Asian Legislation – Singapore
Multiple amendments to the criminal code that add provisions against deepfake content. Section 377BE expands bans intentionally or knowingly distributes an intimate image or recording of another person without their consent and with knowledge. The Singaporean government amended this section to define images and recordings as altered content as well.
There are proposed amendments to section 377 BE, BD, C. For section 377 BE they have proposed adding to the term “altered” content to “altered or generated” to make it more explicitly deepfake focused. Similar section 377 BD.
Elections (Integrity of Online Advertising) (Amendment) Bill
Asian Legislation – Singapore
Amendments to their election regulations that place a ban on manipulated online election advertising which contains realistic but false representations of a candidate. These representations include audio and visual content, with specific emphasis placed upon usage of deepfakes in advertisements. These depictions are considered illegal if they are realistic enough that some members of the public would be likely to believe the content they have seen.
Protection from Online Falsehoods and Manipulation Act 2019 (POFMA)
Asian Legislation – Singapore
While not directly mentioning deepfakes, the POFMA language allows it to be applied for more general usage, and thus it has been applied to deepfakes in the past. This law is broadly applied to any online “statement” which it defines as any representation of fact that is communicated. It then prohibits the communication of statements that a person knows or has reason to believe are false, therefore this law specifically regulates deepfakes that only produce false statements.
Protection from Harassment Act 2014 (POHA)
Asian Legislation – Singapore
This is another law that does not directly mention deepfakes, yet it can be applied to cases concerning deepfakes. This is due to the language of the bill that protects individuals from “communications”, encompassing any representation that can be seen, heard, or otherwise perceived by any person. This law addresses communications used with the intent to harass, alarm, or distress another person, providing a course of action for any such event.
This law has been expanded upon and was used as a framework for more recent AI laws.
Asian Legislation – Japan
This act is Japan’s most comprehensive law covering the topic of AI, however, it is primarily concerned with the development and utilization of AI. They highlight guidelines towards promoting the R&D of AI technologies, integrating those technologies into national administrative bodies, and establishing an AI strategic headquarters.
This law has sparse regulations of AI with only very brief requirements of the state to analyze cases in which citizens’ rights or interests have been infringed through research, development, or utilization of AI-related technology conducted for improper purposes or by inappropriate method.
Unfair Competition Prevention Act
Asian Legislation – Japan
This law bans the use of celebrity and voice actor likeness without their consent for commercial use. This legislation only covers unauthorized use in terms of commercial usage and does not address other uses of AI. As it pertains to AI utilization of these assets, Japanese courts have stated that cases of AI usage can be examined under this law however, it will be examined on a case by case basis.
Criminal Code Amendment (Deepfake Sexual Material) Act 2024
Other Nations’ Legislation – Australia
Section 474.17A explicitly applies the law, preventing the distribution of sexual material without consent, to deepfakes. They define deepfakes as images, videos, or audios depicting a person that have been edited or entirely created using digital technology (including artificial intelligence). While outlining the punishments associated with an infringement of the law. Specifically mentions and builds upon the general language of the Online Safety Act of 2021.
Other Nations’ Legislation – Australia
Restricts the posting of intimate images without consent. These intimate images include private parts of a person and private acts, with section 15 explicitly stating that it is immaterial if the images are altered or not. Therefore, this expands the provisions against the distribution of intimate images to deepfakes. This law requires online platforms and service providers to remove the aforementioned content. This law also served as the underlying basis for later amendments to the criminal code.
Other Nations’ Legislation – Australia
The most recent amendments passed and soon to be put into effect with a relation to AI are APP 1.7, and APP 1.9. While this law does not explicitly cover deepfakes, APP 1.7 requires any entities that utilized automated decision making, decisions done without human involvement including AI, to be disclosed in the entities privacy policy. That entity must explain what personal data is being used, and what decisions are being made.
APP 1.9 defines what that decision is to be anything that can affect someone’s rights or interests whether it adversely or positively affects them. These include decisions made by the government such as an Act or other legislative instrument, a decision that affects an individual’s rights under a contract, and a decision that affects an individual’s access to a significant service or support. Due to the broad nature of what constitutes a decision and the definition of “automated decision making” this becomes relevant to AI legislation.
Content by Henry Sonti
Website Design by Shuyue Ge
Last updated: April 2026