A court artist from the Netherlands has successfully secured damages after a member of the far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) misappropriated her artwork and altered it using artificial intelligence to render the depicted individuals in a more sinister light.
Petra Urban, who has been a court artist for nearly two decades, was taken aback to find that a sketch she created last year, illustrating two Syrian siblings convicted of murdering their sister, had been manipulated and showcased in a video posted by the PVV's Noord-Brabant branch on social media platforms, including Instagram and Facebook.
Urban expressed her distress over multiple aspects of the incident. "There are three significant issues that trouble me," she stated. "First, my artwork was utilized without my consent. Second, it was appropriated by a political group, which conflicts with my desire to maintain neutrality and independence in my work. Lastly, and perhaps most bizarrely, the alterations were made using AI technology."
In the Netherlands, artists are safeguarded by copyright laws and possess moral rights to dissent against any modifications of their creations that could negatively impact their reputation. The disturbing nature of the event stirred considerable media attention when Urban shared her experiences with fellow court artists in May.
After her union made a legal claim for licensing rights and damages, Urban received an apology from PVV MP Maikel Boon, who subsequently arranged for the payment of damages, although the specific amount has not been disclosed. Following previous accusations against Boon for employing AI to manipulate images for political campaigns, Urban stated that she felt justified in demanding restitution. "This serves as a cautionary tale; we must remain vigilant," she warned. "Journalistic work should maintain a standard of neutrality, whether it is written, drawn, photographed, or filmed. If such content is subject to manipulation, it could lead to unforeseen consequences."
Urban emphasized her political detachment from the party led by Geert Wilders. "To be honest, the PVV’s views are far removed from my own; however, even if they aligned more closely with my beliefs, I would still oppose this appropriation of my work. It undermines my neutrality,” she remarked. The PVV and Boon have been contacted for further comments. In his conversation with De Telegraaf, Boon accepted full responsibility for his actions, admitting that he mistakenly believed that altering an image would void its copyright, describing his conduct as a "very thoughtless mistake." The promotional video concerning a new asylum center has since been taken down from online platforms.
