Extract from Laura Lorek’s article “‘Who Owns Me?:’ Spike in Legal Disputes Over AI and Identity”
Unfavorable contract terms are causing creators to lose control over their faces, voices and likenesses—making identity protection a key legal issue.
And it’s time to recognize digital identity as property, and to educate courts about synthetic media.
This was the main message of Texas attorney Michelle O’Neil’s South by Southwest conference presentation: “Who Owns Me? Legal War Over Identity in the Creator Economy.”
“Your identity is your most valuable asset, but also your greatest vulnerability as a creator,” O’Neil said, emphasizing both its worth and the risks involved.
The law is not equipped to protect creators’ identities, including faces, voices, names and likenesses, especially in the context of cloning by artificial intelligence, O’Neil said.
