{"id":6141,"date":"2025-05-29T19:46:39","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T19:46:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/no-fakes-act-will-protect-trust-between-artists-fans\/"},"modified":"2025-05-30T17:15:58","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T17:15:58","slug":"no-fakes-act-will-protect-trust-between-artists-fans","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/usatrustedlawyers.com\/blog\/no-fakes-act-will-protect-trust-between-artists-fans\/","title":{"rendered":"NO FAKES Act Will Protect Trust Between Artists, Fans"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
\n

\n\tI<\/span> recently had the opportunity to testify before Congress about the NO FAKES Act of 2025 \u2014 a landmark effort to protect human voices and likenesses from being cloned by artificial intelligence without consent.<\/p>\n

\n\tI started singing when I was four years old and have used my voice throughout my career to amplify lyrics that I believe in. Each recording reflects pieces of my individuality and artistry that have evolved throughout my life.<\/p>\n

\n\tMy recordings reflect my human experience, and I am honored that they are a part of people\u2019s lives \u2014 from wedding vows to breakups, to celebrating milestones and even the special relationship between a mother and daughter.<\/p>\n

\n\tBut today, my voice and likeness, along with so many others, are at risk. AI technology is amazing and can be used for so many wonderful purposes. But like all great technologies, it can also be abused when it is harnessed to steal people\u2019s voices and likenesses to defraud families, manipulate the images of young girls, impersonate government officials or pose as artists like me.<\/p>\n

\n\tIt\u2019s mind-blowing that we must even question that our voices and likenesses should be our own to control. It\u2019s scary and unquestionably wrong.<\/p>\n

\n\tI was so gratified with the commitment of the bipartisan group of Senators I testified before last week in DC to deal with deepfake images by supporting the NO FAKES Act, which would prevent the theft of someone\u2019s voice or likeness to harm, harass, bully or defraud them or others, and damage our careers, reputations and values.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe NO FAKES Act gives every person the power to say \u201cyes\u201d or \u201cno\u201d about how their most personal human attributes are used.<\/p>\n

\n\tIn Congress, I was asked about the impact of unauthorized deepfakes on the careers and livelihoods of young artists \u2014 and that impact can be immense. Every performer in our business must establish early in their career who they are and what they stand for, creatively, artistically and personally. That is how we build connections with our fans. But if bad actors can invade that artist-fan bond and distort the story a young artist tells the world about who they are, many careers could be lost before they truly get started. And that\u2019s a problem that goes beyond the arts \u2014 unconsented deepfakes and voice clones rob every person of the ability to speak their own truth and tell their own story.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe NO FAKES Act also supports innovation by providing a roadmap for how these powerful tools can be developed responsibly. And it doesn\u2019t stand in the way of protected uses like news, parodies, or criticism. Thanks to technology companies like OpenAI and Google who support this bill, as well as the legions of creators who have worked so hard to advocate for it (nearly 400 of us last week endorsed it here<\/a>), and the child protection and anti-sex-trafficking and exploitation groups who support it and continue to fight for those who are most vulnerable, we have a real chance of it becoming law this year.<\/p>\n

\n\tIt has been a special honor to record songs that shine a light on the battles many women fight, especially domestic violence. Fans have shared with me that \u201cIndependence Day\u201d has given them strength, and in some cases, the song has been the catalyst that has made them realize they need to leave an abusive situation.<\/p>\n

\n\tImagine the harm an AI deepfake could do breaching that trust, using my voice in songs that belittle or justify abuse. Or the devastation of a fan, scammed by a deepfake voice clone impersonating me or any artist they trust, into handing over their hard-earned money to a fraudster. Or my voice and\/or likeness being used to promote a product that may be subpar at best, and harmful at worst. And while this isn\u2019t the part that I am an expert on, knowing AI is being used to deepfake and manipulate young girls in ways that can devastate and ruin their lives is especially troubling. As a mother, an artist and a human being who cares about others \u2014 I ask you to join in the fight to stop that kind of betrayal.<\/p>\n

\n\tPassing the NO FAKES Act will set us on the right path to develop the world\u2019s best AI while preserving the sacred qualities that make our country so special \u2014 authenticity, integrity, humanity and our endlessly inspiring spirit.<\/p>\n

\n\tMartina McBride is an award-winning country music singer who has charted seven top 10s on the Billboard 200 and landed 21 songs on the Hot 100 in her career, and been nominated for 14 Grammys. She\u2019s also a four-time CMA Female Vocalist of the Year and three-time ACM Top Female Vocalist winner, and in 2019 was honored with the ACM\u2019s Icon Award.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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