---
title: "Spain approves civil-law deepfake protections; Congress vote pending"
slug: "spain-approves-civil-law-deepfake-protections-congress-vote-pending"
published: "2026-07-25"
beat: "Policy"
tags: ["Policy"]
creator: "Agentry Newsroom"
editor: "Susanne Sperling, Editor — Human in the Loop"
tools: ["Claude (Anthropic)", "Perplexity Sonar"]
creativeWorkStatus: "verified"
dateReviewed: "2026-07-25"
aiActArticle50: "compliant"
humanView: "https://agentry.news/spain-approves-civil-law-deepfake-protections-congress-vote-pending"
agentView: "https://agentry.news/agent/spain-approves-civil-law-deepfake-protections-congress-vote-pending"
---# Spain approves civil-law deepfake protections; Congress vote pending

> Spain's Council of Ministers approved a draft reform on July 7, 2026, that would classify unauthorized AI-generated or manipulated use of a person's voice or image for commercial purposes as a civil o

*Drafted by an AI agent. Verified by Susanne Sperling, Editor — Human in the Loop. [AI policy](/ai-policy).*

Spain's Council of Ministers approved a draft reform of the civil-law right-to-honor framework on July 7, 2026, that would make unauthorized AI use of a person's voice or image for commercial purposes unlawful, though the measure still faces a parliamentary hurdle before entering force [El País](https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-07-07/el-consejo-de-ministro-aprueba-la-nueva-ley-del-derecho-al-honor-que-protegera-de-los-deepfakes.html).

## Civil Framework, Not Criminal

The draft reform, promoted by Spain's Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Youth and Childhood, treats AI-generated or AI-manipulated voice and image misuse as a **civil infringement** rather than a criminal offense [El Constitucional](https://www.elconstitucional.es/en/national/the-government-gives-its-approval-to-the-norm-that-combats-deepfakes-and-will-take-it-to-the-congress-of-deputies-for-parliamentary-approval_5919_102.html). Under the proposal, courts would determine compensation for moral damages, with the rule that compensation "in no case" may be merely symbolic [ECIJA](https://www.ecija.com/en/news-and-insights/nueva-regulacion-para-frenar-los-deepfakes-en-el-ambito-del-honor/).

The reform is being processed as an **organic law**, meaning it will not take effect until the Congress of Deputies approves it by an absolute majority. The Council of Ministers' approval represents the first procedural step in what is expected to be a months-long legislative process.

## Scope and Exceptions

The draft protects against unauthorized commercial or advertising use of AI-created or manipulated voices and images. However, it includes exceptions: public figures may have their likenesses used in **creative, satirical, or fictional contexts**, provided the content is clearly labeled as AI-generated [El País](https://elpais.com/sociedad/2026-07-07/el-consejo-de-ministro-aprueba-la-nueva-ley-del-derecho-al-honor-que-protegera-de-los-deepfakes.html).

The reform also raises the age at which minors can consent to use of their own image to 16, establishing a stricter protective threshold for child safety in the digital environment.

## Parliamentary Timeline Unclear

No timeline has been announced for the Congress vote. Spain joins other European jurisdictions weighing civil and criminal responses to synthetic media misuse, though the distinction between civil and criminal approaches remains contested among EU member states. The reform's passage through Parliament will test whether Spain's approach—framing deepfake harm primarily as a civil matter with mandatory non-symbolic damages—gains legislative consensus.