Supported by organizations including SAG-AFTRA, the MPA, YouTube, OpenAI, and the RIAA, a cross-party coalition of U.S. senators has once again proposed legislation aimed at tackling the misuse of an individual’s voice and image without permission. AI-generated deepfakes .
A little over a year since its initial introduction in July, Senators Marsha Blackburn, Chris Coons, Amy Klobuchar, and Thom Tillis reintroduced the NO FAKES (Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe) Act in Washington on Tuesday. This legislation aims to create a federal protection granting each American rights over their own voices and likenesses should they be used without permission. In recent times, this misuse has increasingly affected actors, performers, and notable public individuals alike.
On Wednesday, State Representatives MarÃa Elvira Salazar, Nathaniel Moran, Becca Balint, and Madeleine Dean joined their Senate counterparts in supporting the legislation. The NO FAKES Act not only aims to provide federal safeguards against illegal deepfakes but will also ensure swift takedown of these unauthorized creations from sites featuring user-generated material.
CEO Charles Rivkin of MPA, SAG-AFTA President Fran Drescher, RIAA Chief Executive Officer Mitch Glazier, Recording Academy CEO Harvey Mason Jr., artist Randy Travis, Warner Music Group CEO Robert Kyncl, and YouTube’s global head of artists Vivien Lewit were present in person in Washington on Wednesday to demonstrate their backing for the legislation. In the previous year, following a stroke that impaired his capacity to sing, Travis put out a track utilizing AI-generated vocal clones.
In a press statement, the RIAA mentioned that the aim of the newly reintroduced NO FAKES Act is to safeguard “U.S. citizens from intrusive deepfake content while minimizing legal challenges and encouraging the growth of American artificial intelligence.”
"This bill proves that we can prioritize the growth of AI and protect American creativity at the same time," said Glazier in an RIAA statement released Wednesday. "We applaud Senators Blackburn, Coons, Tillis and Klobuchar; Representatives Salazar, Dean, Moran, Balint and bipartisan colleagues for their incredible leadership on driving this legislation that provides balanced and effective protections for all individuals against exploitative uses of their voice and likeness while supporting free speech, reducing litigation and achieving the promise of AI technology."
In his individual statement, Kyncl from Warner Music Group supported Glazier’s views, stating, “I commend Senators Blackburn and Coons as well as Representatives Salazar and Dean for taking the lead in proposing the NO FAKES Act. This legislation showcases how collaboration between technology and creative sectors can drive pioneering innovations while safeguarding personal identities and artistic expressions. We are eager to collaborate with important senators and representatives in the U.S. Congress to ensure the passage of the NO FAKES Act this year.”
The post Anti-AI Deepfake Legislation Revived in Senate appeared first on Massima .