Individuals may soon receive enhanced legal protection against unauthorized use of their voice or likeness with the reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act in the Senate. Supported by SAG-AFTRA, this bill aims to establish a federal right to protect against unauthorized digital replicas in audiovisual works and sound recordings.
The bill is sponsored by Senators Marsha Blackburn, Chris Coons, Amy Klobuchar, and Thom Tillis. If passed, it would create a consent-based framework for digital replica uses nationwide while preserving existing state-level protections such as Tennessee’s ELVIS Act and California’s AB 2602.
SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher expressed strong support for the legislation at an April 9 press conference in Washington, D.C., stating: “This is not just a bipartisan issue, this is a nonpartisan issue … This isn’t even about people in the entertainment industry … This is about you and your family and your neighbors and your children, most important.”
SAG-AFTRA represents approximately 160,000 professionals across various sectors of entertainment and media. The organization works to secure robust protections for its members well into the future.
