The NO FAKES Act Just Passed a Senate Committee. Here Is What It Would Actually Do for You.
On June 18, 2026, the NO FAKES Act passed the US Senate Judiciary Committee, advancing the bill one step closer to becoming federal law. It would create a legal right to block unauthorized AI replicas of your voice and likeness.
Short answer
The NO FAKES Act (Nurture Originals, Foster Art and Keep Entertainment Safe) passed the US Senate Judiciary Committee on June 18, 2026. The bill would create a federal intellectual property right protecting every individual's voice and visual likeness from unauthorized AI replication, covering both fully synthetic tracks and real recordings with materially altered fundamental character. Platforms that fail compliance would face up to $750,000 per work in damages. The bill still needs a full Senate vote, a House vote, and the President's signature to become law. It is supported by major labels, A2IM, SAG-AFTRA, Spotify, YouTube, and TikTok.
Key takeaways
- On June 18, 2026, the NO FAKES Act passed the US Senate Judiciary Committee, advancing one step toward becoming federal law.
- The bill would create a federal intellectual property right in your voice and visual likeness, giving every performer the right to block unauthorized AI replicas, including fully synthetic tracks and real recordings with materially altered fundamental character.
- Platforms that fail to act on a takedown notice could face up to $750,000 per work in damages. Individuals who create unauthorized replicas face $5,000 per work; companies face $25,000 per work.
- The bill still needs a full Senate vote, House passage, and the President's signature. It is not law yet.
What happened?
The NO FAKES Act cleared the US Senate Judiciary Committee on June 18, 2026. The bill was first introduced in 2024, revised in April 2025, and updated again in May 2026 before reaching this vote. Passing out of committee is a significant step: it means the bill has enough bipartisan support to advance, and it moves to the full Senate.
The bill has broad industry backing. Spotify, YouTube, TikTok, and OpenAI support it, alongside the major labels, A2IM (which represents independent record labels), SAG-AFTRA, the American Federation of Musicians, and ASCAP. Opposition comes from the Electronic Frontier Foundation and the Computer Communications Industry Association, which argue the damage caps are disproportionate and the bill could be used to stifle legitimate expression.
Maximum damages for a platform that ignores a valid takedown notice
Damages for a company that creates or distributes an unauthorized replica
Damages for an individual who creates an unauthorized replica
Years the right lasts after your death, inheritable by your heirs
What the bill would actually do
The NO FAKES Act would make your voice and visual likeness a form of federal intellectual property. Right now, protection varies wildly by state. Some states have strong right-of- publicity laws; others have weak ones or none at all. A federal standard would mean the same protection applies regardless of where you live or where the infringing content appears.
The notice-and-takedown system works like the DMCA: you send a takedown notice to the platform hosting the unauthorized replica, and the platform must respond within the required window. If it does not, you have a civil claim against the platform. This is a meaningful addition because it puts legal responsibility on platforms, not just the creators of unauthorized replicas, which are often anonymous or based outside the US.
| Covered under the bill | Exempted or outside scope | |
|---|---|---|
| What triggers protection | Fully synthetic AI replicas of your voice or likeness, and real recordings with the fundamental character materially altered | Parody, commentary, news, satire, and authorized sampling or licensing |
| Who can file | Any individual whose voice or likeness was replicated without authorization, including heirs for 70 years after death | Claims for uses the rights holder authorized, or uses that fall under exemptions |
| Where enforcement lands | On the person or company that created the replica, and on the platform that hosted it and ignored a takedown | The bill does not address AI training data directly. That is a separate legal question covered elsewhere. |
Why independent artists should care
Without a federal standard, if someone clones your voice and distributes the result, your options depend on where you live and where the clone appeared. That patchwork means some artists have real legal recourse and others have almost none.
The practical value of the NO FAKES Act, if it passes, is not primarily in the damages. It is in the takedown system. A clear legal mechanism to get unauthorized replicas removed from streaming platforms quickly is what most artists need, not a lawsuit against an individual who has already disappeared.
Artists need these protections now.
Independent artists are in a more exposed position than signed artists here because they do not have a label’s legal team to monitor and respond to infringement. A takedown mechanism you can use yourself matters a lot more when you are the only one watching your catalog.
What to do now
The bill is not law yet
Passing the Senate Judiciary Committee is one step, not the finish line. The bill needs a full Senate floor vote, then House passage, and then the President’s signature. Each stage can stall or modify the bill. Do not act as if the law is in effect when making licensing or enforcement decisions.
Watch what your platforms are doing now
Several platforms, including Spotify and YouTube, already have policies against unauthorized AI voice clones. If you find a clone of your voice on a streaming service, start with the platform’s existing reporting tools, which are often faster than waiting for legislation. The NO FAKES Act would add a legal backstop if a platform fails to act, but the first step is always the platform’s own takedown process.
What is still unclear?
Open questions
The bill has bipartisan support in committee, but the Senate floor schedule is uncertain, and the House has not moved a companion bill at the same pace. Even strong committee support does not guarantee a quick floor vote. The EFF’s concerns about disproportionate damages and censorship risk may be addressed through amendments before any final passage. The definition of “materially altered fundamental character” is also not fully settled and will likely face legal challenges about what it means in practice. The bill’s interaction with the existing state right-of-publicity laws is another open question.
Sources
- Music Business Worldwide: A landmark bill targeting AI deepfakes faces a US Senate Judiciary Committee vote on June 18. Five things to know about the NO FAKES Act.
- Music Ally: 'No Fakes Act' takes its next step towards becoming US law
- Billboard: AI Deepfake Law NO FAKES Act Advances in Congress With Key Senate Committee Vote
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