Blackburn, Coons, Salazar, Dean, Colleagues Introduce Revised Version of NO FAKES Act

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senators Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), Chris Coons (D-Del.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), along with U.S. Representatives Maria Salazar (R-Fla.) and Madeleine Dean (D-Penn.), introduced a revised version of their bipartisan Nurture Originals, Foster Art, and Keep Entertainment Safe (NO FAKES) Act to protect the voice and visual likenesses of individuals and creators from the proliferation of digital replicas created without their consent. Click here to read the updated bill text.

"AI should empower innovation - not give scammers and online predators a free pass to exploit someone's voice and visual likeness without permission," said Senator Blackburn. "From artists and songwriters to students and everyday Americans, people deserve meaningful protections against deceptive deepfakes and digital impersonation. The NO FAKES Act would establish clear guardrails that protect the creative community in Tennessee and nationwide, and we are grateful to have more support than ever before for this bipartisan and bicameral legislation."

"Whether they're Tom Hanks or an 8th grader in Wilmington, no one should worry about someone stealing their voice or likeness," said Senator Coons. "We're reintroducing a stronger NO FAKES Act after working with stakeholders from across the country to make the protections in our bill more robust without compromising Americans' free speech rights. I am proud that NO FAKES is the most advanced piece of AI legislation before Congress right now with the broadest network of supporters. Americans can't afford to wait any longer for Congress to pass this bill and send it to the president's desk."

"While AI presents extraordinary opportunities for technological advancement, it also poses some new problems, including the unauthorized replication of the voice and visual likeness of individuals, such as artists," said Senator Tillis. "We must protect against such misuse, and I'm proud to co-introduce this bipartisan legislation to create safeguards from AI, which will result in greater protections for individuals and that which defines them."

"Americans from all walks of life are increasingly seeing AI being used to create deepfakes in ads, images, music, and videos without their consent," said Senator Klobuchar. "We need our laws to be as sophisticated as this quickly advancing technology. Our bipartisan NO FAKES Act will establish rules of the road to protect people from having their voice and likeness replicated through AI without their permission."

"In this new era of AI, bad actors are quickly and easily profiting from the creativity of others. Our laws must catch up," said Representative Salazar. "The NO FAKES Act is simple and sacred: you own your identity-not Big Tech, not scammers, not algorithms. Deepfakes are digital lies that ruin real lives, and it's time to fight back."

BACKGROUND

"The use of AI is only growing, and Congress must catch up with common sense, common ground regulations," said Representative Dean. "By granting every person a clear, federal right to control digital replicas of their own voice and likeness, the NO FAKES Act will empower victims of deep fakes; defend against sexually explicit deepfakes; and safeguard human creativity and artistic expression. We must support technological innovation while preserving the privacy, safety, and dignity of all Americans."<_u13a_p>

• With the rapid advance of generative artificial intelligence (AI), artists and creators have already begun to see their voices and likenesses used without their consent in videos and songs created as nearly indistinguishable replicas.

• In one high-profile example, AI-generated replicas of the voices of pop stars Drake and The Weeknd were used to produce a viral song titled "Heart on My Sleeve," generating hundreds of thousands of listens on YouTube, Spotify, and other streaming platforms before it was flagged as a fake and removed from the platforms.

• The harmful effects of unauthorized AI-generated content go far beyond celebrities. For example, in Maryland, a Baltimore high school athletic director was arrested and charged after using AI to create a deepfake voice recording of the school's principal that included racist and derogatory comments about students and staff - statements the principal never actually made.

NO FAKES ACT

The NO FAKES Act would address the use of non-consensual digital replications in audiovisual works or sound recordings by:

• Holding individuals or companies liable if they distribute an unauthorized digital replica of an individual's voice or visual likeness;
• Holding platforms liable for hosting an unauthorized digital replica if the platform has knowledge of the fact that the replica was not authorized by the individual depicted;
• Excluding certain digital replicas from coverage based on recognized First Amendment protections; and
• Preempting future state laws regulating digital replicas.

The revised version of the NO FAKES Act:

• Adds a counter-notice procedure to better protect Americans' free speech rights;
• Provides an exemption for libraries, archives, and research institutions to ensure that the study of digital replicas is not inhibited; and
• Makes technical fixes to ensure that the bill works as designed for streaming music platforms.

Click here to read the updated bill text.

Click here to read the section-by-section.

ENDORSEMENTS

The latest version of this legislation is endorsed by Recording Industry Association of America(RIAA), SAG-AFTRA, Motion Picture Association, YouTube, Recording Academy, Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony Music, IBM, TikTok, OpenAI, Disney, The Independent Film & Television Alliance (IFTA), WME, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Human Artistry Campaign,Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI), Department for Professional Employees at AFL-CIO (DPE), AFL-CIO, National Association of Broadcasters, Vermillio, Hive, National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA), American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers(ASCAP), Authors Guild, CreativeFuture, American Bar Association, National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA), Music Artists Coalition (MAC), Television Academy, Enough is Enough, Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), National Center on Sexual Exploitation (NCOSE),Songwriters of North America, Getty Images, American Medical Association (AMA), and American Federation of Musicians:

"RIAA proudly endorses the NO FAKES Act of 2026, a widely supported consensus bill developed through a bipartisan, bicameral process and championed by American AI developers, the creative community, child safety groups, conservative groups, labor unions, and free speech advocates. Polling confirms that 92% of Americans are concerned about the impact of AI deepfakes on our neighbors and culture and reveals near total support for a Federal law that protects voice and likeness. NO FAKES provides those important protections while securing freedom of expression, reducing litigation and achieving the full promise of American AI technology. We applaud the efforts of Senators Coons and Blackburn alongside Representatives Salazar and Dean, along with their bipartisan colleagues, on crafting this legislation that has also been recommended by the White House's National AI Framework. This is an example of communities coming together to solve an important issue, and we are closer than ever to NO FAKES becoming the law of the land this year," said Mitch Glazier, Chairman & CEO of RIAA.

"We're incredibly grateful to Senator Coons and Senator Blackburn for leading the reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act. As AI technology continues to disrupt our ecosystem, this bill is a powerful and necessary step toward protecting human creativity, identity and truth itself. I'm comforted to know that this legislation is designed to safeguard artists and individuals for generations to come," said SAG-AFTRA President Sean Astin.

"The Motion Picture Association continues to back the NO FAKES Act and thanks Senators Coons and Blackburn for their unwavering commitment to ensuring this bill becomes law," said Charles H. Rivkin, Chairman and CEO of the Motion Picture Association. "NO FAKES importantly establishes federal protections against abusive and deceptive uses of digital replicas while respecting creators' constitutional rights and freedoms."

"This reintroduction marks real progress - a stronger bill that reflects what the creator community needs. YouTube has long believed that protecting people's likeness is foundational to responsible AI, and we're proud to stand behind this legislation. We're encouraged by the broad and growing support for the NO FAKES Act, and urge this Congress to pass it," said Leslie Miller, VP Government Affairs and Public Policy at YouTube.

"The Grammy organization applauds the reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act. This carefully crafted legislation strikes the right balance in protecting artists from the spread of harmful deepfakes online, while also acknowledging advancements in AI technology are a part of our future. Last month's GRAMMYS On The Hill Advocacy Day allowed Members of Congress to hear first-hand from artist advocates about the impact of AI on the music community and the urgent need to protect human creators. The real-world stories shared by our artist advocates came at a crucial time as momentum continues to build in Congress in support of advancing the NO FAKES Act. We thank Senators Coons and Blackburn for their unwavering commitment to protecting creators' rights," said Harvey Mason jr., CEO of the Recording Academy.

"Universal Music Group applauds the reintroduction of the NO FAKES Act - landmark, bipartisan, bicameral legislation to address 'deepfakes' and other threats to individuals' rights to control their own voice and visual likeness. At once, this legislation secures First Amendment protections and takes a critical step to ensure all Americans can protect and control their own persona. We are grateful to the bill's sponsors for their thoughtful leadership on this important issue," said Universal Music Group.

"I applaud Senators Blackburn and Coons and Representatives Salazar and Dean for their commitment and leadership in addressing the urgent need to establish guardrails to prevent unauthorized, AI-generated deep fakes. As a bridge between the tech and creative industries, the NO FAKES Act enables a new wave of technological breakthroughs while protecting human expression and artistry. We look forward to working with Members of the US Senate and House to pass the Bill this year," said Robert Kyncl, CEO of Warner Music Group.

"Sony Music is proud to support the No FAKES Act to promote the ethical use of AI and give artists more control over their identity and creative expression. Thank you to Senators Coons and Blackburn and Reps. Salazar and Dean, along with the other cosponsors, for continuing to champion this bipartisan legislation. There is growing support for enacting meaningful protections against the unauthorized use of an artist's voice and image, and we look forward to working with Congress towards passage of this legislation allowing AI innovation and creativity to flourish," said Sony Music.

"AI is now widely used across sectors, and as advancements continue, it's vital to protect creators and individuals from potential deepfake risks," said Mike Harney, Vice President of Government & Regulatory Affairs at IBM. "IBM supports the NO FAKES Act, which safeguards individuals from unauthorized AI replication of their images, voices, or likenesses. We thank Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis for their leadership on this important bipartisan legislation."

"As a community of more than 200 million creators, artists, businesses, entertainers, and everyday Americans, TikTok is proud to support the bipartisan NO FAKES Act. This important legislation reaffirms our commitment to responsible AI use and the belief that a person's voice and likeness are uniquely their own and deserve protection. NO FAKES provides a clear, federal standard to safeguard human creativity and prevent unauthorized AI misuse, and we thank Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar and Tillis for their leadership on this legislation," said TikTok.

"The reintroduced version of the NO FAKES Act is a positive step forward to reaching the shared goal of the music streaming industry and bill's sponsors of providing meaningful protections against the proliferation of unauthorized digital replicas. The recent version includes improvements to the bill as introduced which help provide certainty and clarity for music streaming services. While there are still outstanding issues to be resolved, we look forward to continuing to work with Senators Coons and Blackburn to address these critical issues. We are encouraged by the progress made and look forward to a successful markup and ongoing dialogue as the bill advances through the legislative process," said Graham Davies, President & CEO of Digital Media Association (DIMA).

"We believe artists should control if and how their voices are used and we support a federal standard protecting that. While there is still work to do, we appreciate Senators Blackburn and Coons' work to improve the NO FAKES Act on the whole, which puts meaningful guardrails in place for the AI era," said Spotify.

"We're all in on our support for the NO FAKES Act and appreciate the bipartisan leadership of Senators Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar, and Tillis. As AI tools get more powerful, protections against the misuse of voice and likeness are critical. We're encouraged to see this bill gaining momentum and look forward to helping get it passed," said Chris Lehane, Chief Global Affairs Officer at OpenAI.

"Disney continues to support the NO FAKES Act to provide protection against misuse of an individual's image and voice while preserving critical speech safeguards for legitimate storytelling. We commend the work done by the bill's sponsors to build support among key stakeholders and look forward to favorable consideration by the Judiciary Committee," said Disney.

"The Independent Film & Television Alliance® supports the NO FAKES Act and thanks lead sponsors Senators Coons, and Blackburn, and Representatives Salazar and Dean for their ongoing efforts to pass this bill," said Jackie Brenneman, President and CEO of IFTA. "This important legislation establishes a federal standardized solution to prevent the unauthorized exploitation of an individual's voice, image and likeness, upholds critical First Amendment safeguards to protect free speech, and includes a key preemption clause."

"The NO FAKES Act offers smart solutions to an urgent challenge, and WME is proud to advocate for these policies on behalf of our clients. As AI tools grow more sophisticated by the day, it is increasingly important to protect artists and all individuals from the unauthorized use of their voice, likeness, and digital identity. We applaud the strong bipartisan leadership and industry-wide momentum advancing this issue and urge the Senate Judiciary Committee to continue moving the bill forward," said Christian Muirhead, Co-Chairman of WME.

"CAA commends Senators Coons and Blackburn, along with Representatives Salazar and Dean, for their leadership in advancing the NO FAKES Act. This bipartisan effort marks a crucial step toward protecting artists from the unauthorized and exploitative use of their likeness, voice, and creative work in an era of rapidly evolving AI technology. The thoughtful balance this legislation strikes between safeguarding individual rights and encouraging innovation is a model for how we can responsibly address the challenges posed by new digital tools. With strong support from the White House's National AI Framework, we are optimistic that this bill will soon establish essential protections that empower creators and uphold artistic integrity," said Bryan Lourd, CEO and Co-Chairman of CAA.

"The Human Artistry Campaign stands for fully prioritizing human creativity as AI evolves, expanding imagination, not replacing it, and opening possibilities rather than closing doors," said Dr. Moiya McTier, Senior Advisor at Human Artistry Campaign. "Preserving everyone's fundamental right to their own voices and images is a critical and immediate need. The NO FAKES Act protects that right, while also supporting free speech rights and promoting responsible, ethical AI development. Senators Blackburn and Coons, Representatives Salazar and Dean have shepherded bipartisan agreement among their colleagues for this landmark legislation. Every American deserves a right to their own identity. As highly realistic AI voice clones and harmful deepfakes become more pervasive, this bill stands ready for passage and the time to act is now."

"The NO FAKES Act is important legislation that helps put necessary guardrails around the creator's voice, image and likeness when it comes to unauthorized productions generated by artificial intelligence. The bill emulates the ELVIS ACT adopted in Tennessee and makes the tools available throughout the country. The Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) strongly encourages its adoption," said Bart Herbison, Executive Director of NSAI.

"DPE proudly supports the updated NO FAKES Act, which will help build broader consensus around the need for federal protections against the unauthorized use of digital replicas. I thank the bill's Senate and House cosponsors for their leadership on this important issue. Now is the time for the Judiciary Committee to mark up this commonsense, bipartisan legislation. Middle-class professionals who rely on their voices and likenesses to earn a living must be able to hold accountable those who misuse them," said Jennifer Dorning, President of the Department for Professional Employees at AFL-CIO (DPE).

"AFL-CIO-affiliated unions represent artists across different media whose voice and likeness are their livelihood. The NO FAKES Act of 2026 would provide these workers with recourse against the digital misappropriation of their labor and ultimately deter this damaging practice, holding liable those who produce unauthorized digital likenesses, as well as platforms that knowingly host such digital replicas,"said Jody Calemine, Director of Advocacy at AFL-CIO. "We appreciate Senators Coons' and Blackburn's leadership on this balanced, thoughtful approach to address this problem."

"NAB applauds Senators Blackburn and Coons for reintroducing the NO FAKES Act, which takes an important step toward protecting trusted broadcast journalists, local radio hosts and other on-air personalities from the unauthorized use of their voice, image or likeness. Broadcasters play a vital role in keeping communities informed, and the spread of deceptive deepfakes undermines both individual rights and public trust. This bipartisan bill offers meaningful safeguards while respecting First Amendment protections, and we look forward to working with Congress to advance it," said Curtis LeGeyt, President & CEO of the National Association of Broadcasters.

"The NO FAKES Act is a critical step toward establishing a clear, federal framework that protects every American's voice, face, and identity from unauthorized AI replication," said Dan Neely, Co-Founder and CEO of Vermillio. "Likeness is not just a celebrity issue - it is a fundamental right tied to personal dignity. In an era where deepfakes are increasingly indistinguishable from reality, we need balanced guardrails that both prevent the unauthorized distribution of digital replicas and preserve free expression. This legislation delivers that foundation while putting people, not platforms, in control."

"The rapid growth of AI-generated media makes it imperative to pair innovation with clear, practical safeguards. The updated NO FAKES Act reflects meaningful progress by aligning with how platforms actually operate, strengthening protections against unauthorized digital replicas, and preserving space for free expression and legitimate use. We're thrilled to see growing consensus across creators, platforms, and policymakers, and we're proud to support this next phase of the bill as a balanced step toward protecting both public trust and creative integrity in the age of AI," said Kevin Guo, CEO of Hive.

"Senators Blackburn and Coons have been consistent champions for creators as songwriters and artists confront the challenges of AI. Human artists absolutely should control their own likeness. While more needs to be done, including protections against unlicensed training, the No Fakes Act is an essential part of getting AI policy right," said David Israelite, President and CEO of NMPA.

"In the context of digital replicas or AI policy more generally, ASCAP's music creator members need Congress to put human beings first and enshrine transparency, consent, compensation, credit, and global consistency into law. We commend Sens. Coons, Blackburn, Klobuchar and Tillis for making progress to enact legislation that recognizes the value of human creativity to AI development," said Elizabeth Matthews, CEO of ASCAP.

"The Authors Guild thanks Senators Chris Coons, Marsha Blackburn, Thom Tillis, and Amy Klobuchar for introducing the NO FAKES Act," said Mary Rasenberger, CEO of Authors Guild. "It marks a significant step in protecting creators' rights to their own persona. By prohibiting the unauthorized use of AI-generated replicas in audiovisual and sound recordings and establishing clear legal guidelines and liability for misuse, this bill helps safeguard creators from unauthorized and unpaid uses of their images and voices."

"CreativeFuture supports the NO FAKES Act, a thoughtful framework of AI guardrails that protects both individuals and members of our creative community. The bill establishes protections against the misuse of an individual's likeness and voice while also ensuring creatives can continue to exercise their First Amendment rights in storytelling. We commend the bill's sponsors on their work to build consensus among stakeholders, and we look forward to working with them as the bill moves forward to enactment this year," said Ruth Vitale, CEO of CreativeFuture.

"The American Bar Association commends Senators Coons and Blackburn for their continued bipartisan leadership toward developing a broad consensus around the NO FAKES Act. This is important, balanced legislation to guarantee the rights of artists, creators, and everyday people against the dangers of AI abuses, while balancing important First Amendment and state rights," said Michelle Behnke, President of American Bar Association.

"The National Association of Voice Actors (NAVA) proudly reaffirms its support for the NO FAKES Act and the updated legislative text. This bill represents the most meaningful federal effort to date to ensure that every American has clear, enforceable rights over their voice, image, name, and likeness in the age of artificial intelligence. For voice actors, this issue is deeply personal. Our voices are not just creative expressions; they are our livelihoods and a core part of who we are. Voice data is inherently biometric, and with rapidly advancing technology, it is increasingly easy to replicate, manipulate, and exploit without consent, compensation, or accountability. NAVA commends the bill's bipartisan sponsors for their leadership and strongly supports swift passage of this critical legislation," said NAVA.

"The Music Artists Coalition has championed Clarity, Consent, and Compensation as the foundation for how AI should interact with music creators. This updated NO FAKES Act delivers on all three. Artists need these protections now - let's not delay in protecting the people who create the music that soundtracks our lives," said Ron Gubitz, Executive Director at MAC.

"Representing nearly 30,000 members across all disciplines of the television industry, the Television Academy supports the NO FAKES Act and applauds Senators Coons and Blackburn for continuing to work with stakeholders to improve this important bill. Television is built on the talent, creativity, and hard work of real people - from writers, producers, and performers to camera operators and cinematographers who bring stories to life. As artificial intelligence and digital replication technologies evolve, it is essential to put in place meaningful protections that prevent the unauthorized and exploitative use of performers' voices, likenesses, and creative expressions. The Television Academy supports the NO FAKES Act to establish clear federal protections that uphold the rights of television professionals and the creative foundation of the television industry," said Maury McIntyre, President & CEO of Television Academy.

"Children should never have to face AI-generated sexually explicit deepfakes made of them. The NO FAKES Act will help protect them from this happening by prohibiting the use of their image or voice in AI-generated content. These unique harms are becoming more prevalent and must be confronted. Again. the tireless Senator Blackburn is leading critical cutting edge legislation to prevent the online exploitation of children," said Donna Rice Hughes, President & CEO of Enough Is Enough and Host of Internet Safety with Donna Rice Hughes.

"Sexual violence takes away survivors' autonomy. By giving them the right to control their own image, the NO FAKES Act gives it back," said Stefan Turkheimer, Vice President of Public Policy at RAINN. "Survivors should be able to hold tech platforms accountable when they're used to share non-consensual intimate images, and the NO FAKES Act would be a crucial step in allowing them that path to justice."

"Right now, anyone's image can be manipulated into sexually explicit imagery and distributed online for the world to see - without consent or recourse. No one should have to face this abusive scenario. It's time for Congress to pass the NO FAKES Act that will establish a federally enforceable intellectual property right for one's own voice, image, and likeness. Victims will be able to use civil law to seek redress for the harm they have suffered. The NO FAKES Act complements the TAKE IT DOWN Act, signed into law in 2025," said Haley McNamara, Executive Director and Chief Strategy Officer at NCOSE.

"The Songwriters of North America (SONA) proudly supports the NO FAKES Act, a critical step toward protecting creators in today's digital landscape. The strong industry collaboration and bipartisan leadership behind this legislation demonstrate that commonsense regulation and innovation can coexist. The NO FAKES Act delivers essential protections, ensuring creators' voices, likenesses, and work are respected and safeguarded. SONA looks forward to the advancement of the Manager's Amendment in the Senate Judiciary Committee and remains committed to advocating for the rights of the creative community," said Dina LaPolt, Co-Founder and Board Member of Songwriters of North America.

"Millions of entrepreneurial American creators, including photographers, filmmakers, artists and illustrators, rely on licensing their work to make a living. The No Fakes Act protects and strengthens the business of American creativity in the AI era. We commend Senators Blackburn and Coons for their leadership on this legislation and urge the Senate to pass it," said Getty Images.

"The American Medical Association strongly supports the bipartisan NO FAKES Act and thanks Senators Coons and Blackburn and Representatives Salazar and Dean for sponsoring this important legislation," said John Whyte, MD, MPH, CEO of AMA. "Bad actors are using deepfake technology to spread convincing medical misinformation at scale, promote dangerous or unproven treatments, prey on patients, and undermine physician credibility. Congress must enact the NO FAKES Act this session. Without clear federal protections and accountability, these deceptive practices will continue eroding trust in healthcare and jeopardizing patient safety."

"The American Federation of Musicians thanks Senators Blackburn and Coons and Representatives Salazar and Dean for recognizing that human creativity is the foundation of recorded music. The NO FAKES Act is an essential first step. We look forward to its enactment along with other measures to fully protect the rights of all creators - featured artists and session musicians alike," said Tino Gagliardi, President of American Federation of Musicians.

RELATED

• Blackburn, Coons, Salazar, Dean, Colleagues Introduce "NO FAKES Act" to Protect Individuals and Creators from Digital Replicas

https://www.blackburn.senate.gov/2026/5/technology/blackburn-coons-salazar-dean-colleagues-introduce-revised-version-of-no-fakes-act