A Republican bill with 8 Democratic cosponsors · See all 13 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
This bill creates federal intellectual property rights protecting an individual's voice and visual likeness from unauthorized computer-generated digital replicas. It establishes rules for licensing these rights for both living people and after someone passes away. The legislation outlines civil liabilities and penalties for individuals, entities, or online services that share unauthorized digital replicas or tools designed to make them. It also sets up a notification and takedown process for online service providers to handle reported violations. Finally, the bill details specific exclusions, such as for news broadcasts, documentaries, satire, and parody, while preempting certain state laws.
Yes· 3 of 6
- Scored +8
Does this make patent and copyright rules fairer?
The bill establishes robust federal intellectual property rights protecting individuals' voices and visual likenesses from unauthorized digital replication.
- Scored +6
Does this put more rules on large technology companies?
The legislation imposes strict requirements and notice-and-takedown obligations on online service providers regarding unauthorized digital replicas.
- Scored +5
Does this protect people from being watched or searched?
The bill protects individuals' personal likeness and voice from unauthorized exploitation through advanced computer-generated technologies.
The opposite
No question was scored the opposite.
Who it would affect, and how
Potential Positive Impacts for People
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Protection Against Unauthorized Replicas: Section 2(b)(1) gives individuals and right holders the right to authorize the use of their voice or visual likeness in a digital replica, protecting everyday people and artists from having fake audio or video of them made and shared without their permission.
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Clear Rules for Minors: Section 2(b)(ii) ensures that any license involving a living individual under 18 years of age cannot last longer than five years, terminates when the minor turns 18, and must be approved by a court in accordance with State law, protecting young performers from long-term unfair contracts.
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Protection for News, Satire, and Parody: Section 2(c)(5)(A) excludes bona fide news, public affairs, sports broadcasts, documentaries, commentary, criticism, scholarship, satire, and parody from liability, ensuring that freedom of speech and expression are protected for the public.
Potential Negative Impacts for People
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Burdens on Online Platforms and Potential Censorship: Section 2(d)(1)(B) requires online service providers to quickly remove or disable access to claimed unauthorized digital replicas upon receiving a notice, which could lead to platforms taking down legitimate content out of caution to avoid lawsuits.
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Post-Mortem Registration and Renewal Fees: Section 2(b)(2)(D) allows the Register of Copyrights to require the payment of reasonable filing fees from right holders to maintain a directory for post-mortem digital replication rights, creating a financial cost for families managing the likeness rights of deceased relatives.
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Penalties for False or Deceptive Notices: Section 2(d)(5)(B) imposes a minimum penalty of $25,000 per notification or counter-notification that contains a knowing material misrepresentation, which could financially burden individuals who make honest mistakes or struggle to navigate the legal notice process.
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.
- Education And Technology
- Does this make patent and copyright rules fairer? — The bill establishes robust federal intellectual property rights protecting individuals' voices and visual likenesses from unauthorized digital replication. Does this put more rules on large technology companies? — The legislation imposes strict requirements and notice-and-takedown obligations on online service providers regarding unauthorized digital replicas.
- Governance And Ideology
- Does this protect people from being watched or searched? — The bill protects individuals' personal likeness and voice from unauthorized exploitation through advanced computer-generated technologies. Does this give the federal government more power? — The legislation creates a uniform federal framework that preempts various state laws concerning digital replicas in expressive works.
- Demographic And Interest Groups
- Would children be better off under this? — Section 2(b)(ii) establishes critical protections and court approval requirements for licenses involving minors under 18 years old.
- Social Issues And Justice
- Does this protect what people are allowed to say in public life? — The bill explicitly excludes news, commentary, satire, and parody from liability, thereby protecting public freedom of expression.
- 10/22/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 10/15/2026
- 2 Cosponsors added.
- 5/20/2026
- Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
- 9 Cosponsors added.
- Introduced in House
3 bills Congress.gov lists as related to this one — companions in the other chamber, earlier versions, and bills this one absorbed or was folded into.
Becca BalintDemocrat · Vermont
Steve CohenDemocrat · Tennessee
Madeleine DeanDemocrat · Pennsylvania
Laura FriedmanDemocrat · California
Sydney Kamlager-DoveDemocrat · California
Susie LeeDemocrat · Nevada
Laurel LeeRepublican · Florida
Michael LawlerRepublican · New York
Joseph MorelleDemocrat · New York
Jared MoskowitzDemocrat · Florida
Nathaniel MoranRepublican · Texas
Robert WittmanRepublican · Virginia
Roger WilliamsRepublican · Texas