Spotify, Getty back federal deepfake bill

Spotify and Getty have joined the latest push behind the NO FAKES Act, the bipartisan federal bill that would create a national right to control AI-generated replicas of a person’s voice and likeness. Congress reintroduced the revised measure on May 20, with backing from lawmakers in both chambers and a wider list of supporters than in earlier versions. (billboard.com) That matters because the bill is aimed at a problem spreading across music, film, advertising and online platforms: AI systems can now generate convincing imitations of a singer’s voice, an actor’s face or an ordinary person’s image without consent. The House sponsors said the legislation would “clearly define” a person’s right to control voice and likeness at the federal level. (dean.house.gov) The legislation’s sponsors are Sens. Marsha Blackburn, Chris Coons, Thom Tillis and Amy Klobuchar, along with Reps. María Elvira Salazar and Madeleine Dean. In their May 20 statements, the lawmakers said the revised bill was written to curb unauthorized digital replicas while preserving free-speech protections. (blackburn.senate.gov) The new support list is the clearest signal in this round. RIAA said the updated bill is endorsed by a coalition that includes OpenAI, Google/YouTube, IBM, Getty and Spotify, alongside creative-industry groups, labor unions, child-safety groups, conservatives and free-speech advocates. Billboard separately reported that Spotify and Getty were additions highlighted in this reintroduction. (riaa.com) The argument from supporters is straightforward: they want one federal rule instead of a state-by-state patchwork. Mitch Glazier, the RIAA’s chairman and chief executive, said polling showed broad support for a federal law protecting voice and likeness, and said the bill would reduce litigation while safeguarding expression. Rep. Dean said Congress had to “catch up” with “common sense” rules as AI use expands. (riaa.com) The revised version also appears designed to answer criticism that deepfake rules can sweep too broadly. TheWrap reported that the bill includes new exemptions for libraries and a process to challenge takedown demands, while the congressional and industry statements say it expressly protects uses tied to news reporting and satire. (thewrap.com) The bill has been in circulation before. Billboard said it was first proposed in 2024 and reintroduced once in 2025 before this latest version. TheWrap reported that, after its first introduction, it was referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee and had not yet received a vote. (billboard.com) What changed this week is less the core idea than the breadth of the coalition around it. With Spotify and Getty now named alongside AI developers and entertainment groups, supporters are trying to show Congress that platforms, rights holders and technology companies can all live with a single federal standard. Whether that is enough to move the bill through committee and onto the floor is the next test. (billboard.com)