Within Denmark's Borders: The Impact of Immigration Policies on Adopted Danish Citizens
Sneak Peek Danskland! By Mike D. B. Save
This week in Denmark, immigrant regulations sometimes unintentionally target adopted individuals, and Danish police lead a global crackdown on AI-generated child abuse. Let's dive into some of the latest buzz right here on the Inside Track!
Advertisement
Adoptees Slam 'Foreign' Welfare Label in Denmark
Immigrants who need social assistance will be exempted from a new requirement for unskilled municipal jobs, except for the adoptees. Previously, there were no exemptions for adopted individuals. Employment Minister Jørgensen finally took a step back, admitting that adopted people were never the intended targets of this rule.
One concern from adoption advocacy groups is that adopted individuals, having come to Denmark as infants or young children, often don't consider themselves foreign nationals. Pushing back against the intended exclusion, member Sanne Vindahl Nyvang from the Adoption og Samfund organization aimed to see an official written statement granting adopted people full equality with all other Danish-born youth.
READ MORE: *Adoption in Denmark: What You Need to Know*
In a related matter, the government recently implemented new regulations for two basic unemployment benefits, uddannelseshjælp and kontanthjælp. The 2018 changes meant that people registering in Denmark after January 1st, 2008 must have lived in the country for nine of the last ten years to qualify. This rule could affect both foreign adoptees and international immigrants.
The Conservatives and the Liberal Alliance, who supported the 2018 rule change, expressed interest in modifying it to benefit the adoptees. At the time of writing, Minister Jørgensen has yet to comment on the call for an additional rule adjustment.
Advertisement
Denmark Rounds Up Globe in Crackdown on AI Child Abuse
Last week, Europol announced a global operation targeting AI-generated material depicting child abuse. The project, spearheaded by Danish police, led to 25 arrests in 18 participating countries, including the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
According to Denmark's National Unit for Special Crime (NSK), the case stemmed from the country's initial conviction of an AI-generated child abuse material case. A Danish man was sentenced to 15 months in prison for producing and selling 36,209 sexual images of children using AI. The international sting aimed to catch the consumers of such pornographic material.
"We're seeing a rise in the use of artificial intelligence in this despicable crime," said NSK senior police official Sasha Nellemann Nielsen. "Though the images aren't real, they're based on illegal material, making them a clear violation." The Danish case, a precedent for future litigation, highlighted the challenge of prosecuting AI-generated content and yet demonstrating its potential to be overcome.
Two Danish men, aged 30 and 32, were among those charged for purchasing images from the convicted 29-year-old. The 29-year-old is currently seeking an appeal of the sentence given to him at Randers District Court, which was handed down in early January.
More
#Inside Denmark
Drop a comment and let us know your thoughts! Want to share your ideas, questions, or suggestions for our journalists? Click here! Make sure to check out our comment guidelines before joining the discussion.
Read More:
Inside Denmark: Truth or Fable? Denmark's NIFO: Capsizing the Climate Crisis
- The adoption advocacy group Adoption og Samfund has criticized the Danish government for labeling adoptees as foreign nationals, despite arriving in Denmark as infants or young children.
- In a related matter, new regulations for two Danish unemployment benefits could affect both foreign adoptees and international immigrants, causing concern among adoption advocacy groups.
- The Danish police spearheaded a global operation targeting AI-generated child abuse material, leading to 25 arrests in 18 countries.
- The case highlighted the challenge of prosecuting AI-generated content, but also demonstrates its potential to be overcome, according to the National Unit for Special Crime in Denmark.
- The exploitative use of artificial intelligence in child abuse cases is rising, as demonstrated by the Danish man who was recently convicted of producing and selling 36,209 sexual images of children using AI.
