WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Center for Individual Freedom (CFIF) today announced its full support for the “Nature Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe Act” (“NO FAKES Act”).  The bipartisan legislation, introduced by Senators Marsha Blackburn (R – Tennessee), Thom Tillis (R – North Carolina), Chris Coons (D – Connecticut) and Amy Klobuchar (D – Minnesota), would protect the voice and visual likenesses of artists across the music, film, television and other industries, as well as other individuals, from “deepfakes” and other unauthorized digital replicas.

CFIF President Jeffrey Mazzella issued the following statement detailing the importance of this welcome bipartisan effort:  

“As generative artificial intelligence (AI) becomes an increasingly prevalent part of society, technology and our economy, it presents the possibility of both enormous benefits and extreme peril.  Whatever one’s more generalized opinion of the competing costs and benefits of AI, however, we can all agree that it must not become a method to steal from artists and other individuals by appropriating their images, voices or other likenesses for improper gain.  

“Artists of every type pour their blood, sweat and tears (sometimes literally) into their creative efforts, investing unfathomable amounts of time, talent and financial resources to create their works.  Accordingly, it’s unfair to have those works violated and appropriated by AI for others’ exploitative purposes without approval and fair compensation.  

“Unauthorized AI deepfakes and other digital replicas threaten small, emerging and struggling artists and other individuals most, because they don’t possess the revenue or power to overcome their losses or vindicate their rights via the legal process.  

“It’s also worth emphasizing that the NO FAKES Act includes important First Amendment safeguards for categories of storytelling such as biopics, docudramas, parodies and satires.

“The bipartisan NO FAKES Act has attracted the support of a broad range of stakeholders as it appropriately addresses an emerging threat. CFIF is proud to support it.”

CFIF is a constitutional and free-market advocacy organization with over 300,000 supporters and activists nationwide.

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