A Republican bill with no cosponsors
Last activity — Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
In committee
Introduced and handed to a committee in the chamber it started in.
The committee holds it, and most bills are never heard from again. A hearing or a committee vote would be news; silence is the usual outcome, and it kills the bill without anyone voting against it.
Its path through Congress
- Introduced
- In Committee
What this bill would do
The SOUL Act of 2026 aims to amend title 17 of the United States Code to establish sovereign ownership rights in unique likeness for U.S. citizens. This legislation seeks to protect individuals against unauthorized digital replications and various abuses. It defines a unique likeness to include traits such as name, image, voice, and biometric identifiers. Under this act, owners have exclusive rights to reproduce or distribute their likeness. These rights last for the individual's life plus 50 years.
Yes· 3 of 7
- Scored +8
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?
The act establishes sovereign ownership over personal traits including biometric identifiers, voice, and image to prevent unauthorized digital replication.
- Scored +7
Does this give people more control over their personal data?
The bill grants individuals control over their biometric and genetic identity markers used in digital and AI contexts.
- Scored +6
Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices?
The bill provides consumers with legal recourse and statutory damages against the unauthorized use of their personal likeness and digital replicas.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Control Over Personal Identity: U.S. citizens gain exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, publicly display, perform, or create derivative works based on their unique likeness, which includes names, images, voices, and digital replicas (Sec. 1402(a)).
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Protection Against Unauthorized Replications: The bill specifically prohibits unauthorized digital replicas or synthetic media (Sec. 1402(a)).
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Financial Redress for Violations: Owners can seek actual damages or statutory damages ranging from $750 to $30,000 per violation, with up to $150,000 for willful violations (Sec. 1404(a)).
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Presumption of Harm: In legal actions, the owner does not need to prove economic or reputational harm because harm is presumed (Sec. 1404(a)(4)).
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Long-term Ownership: These rights endure for the life of the individual plus 50 years after death (Sec. 1402(b)).
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Restrictions on Use: The rights granted are inalienable except through voluntary waiver or license, which limits how these traits can be handled outside of a personal license (Sec. 1402(c)).
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Legal Burden for Platforms: Interactive computer services may be held liable if they fail to remove unauthorized content after receiving a valid takedown notice (Sec. 1404(b)).
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Limitation of State Rights: This federal law preempts any State law that provides equivalent rights or remedies for unique likeness (Sec. 1405(a)).
Groups and Interests Ranking
Every group the model scored this bill for, from -10 to +10. Tap or hover a score for the reason it gave.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would people over 65 be better off under this? — The bill ensures that likeness rights extend for 50 years after death, protecting the legacy of older individuals. Would people with disabilities be better off under this? — The inclusion of biometric identifiers like gait and facial geometry provides specific protections for physical identity traits. Would households on low incomes be better off under this? — The provision of statutory damages allows individuals to seek redress without needing to prove specific economic loss.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The act establishes sovereign ownership over personal traits including biometric identifiers, voice, and image to prevent unauthorized digital replication. Does this make what the government does easier for the public to see? — The bill establishes clear federal standards for the ownership of personal identity data.
- Education And Technology
- Does this give people more control over their personal data? — The bill grants individuals control over their biometric and genetic identity markers used in digital and AI contexts.
- Economy And Finance
- Does this give people more protection from unfair business practices? — The bill provides consumers with legal recourse and statutory damages against the unauthorized use of their personal likeness and digital replicas.
- 4/16/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- Introduced in House