Experts at leading law firm Mills & Reeve are behind a push for new legislation to help people protect themselves against the threat of AI-generated deepfakes, in a campaign that has secured the backing of football stars Cole Palmer and Lucy Bronze among others.
The firm, which has seven offices across the UK including Leeds, has launched My Name, My Face, which is calling for greater legal protections amid a huge increase in the volume of deepfakes and other AI-generated content circulating online.
Chelsea and England footballers Cole Palmer and Lucy Bronze, former Made in Chelsea star Louise Thompson and actress fashion designer and entrepreneur Tan France, as well as professional bodies including the Professional Footballers’ Association and FIFPRO, are among those backing My Name, My Face.
Lawyers at Mills & Reeve previously advised Palmer on protecting personal brand assets including his portrait mark, famous celebration and ‘Cold Palmer’ nickname.
My Name, My Face calls for the creation of personality rights legislation to give individuals ownership and protection of their own personality against impersonation. Currently, those seeking to challenge the misuse of their image must rely on a patchwork of legal protections, including copyright, trademark, data protection and passing off – provisions unfit in the current AI era.
Eight million deepfakes were shared online last year, up from 500,000 in 2023, according to government figures.
Leeds-based Mills & Reeve partner Alex Newman, an intellectual property specialist, said: “AI has transformed the ease with which someone’s face, voice or likeness can be reproduced and shared. Despite this, UK law does not currently provide a single, clear right that allows individuals to control how those elements of their identity are used. This raises some uncomfortable questions about consent, control and the legal protection of personal identity.
“As policymakers and campaigners continue to debate how this can be tackled, it seems increasingly apparent that we need a single, standalone right allowing individuals to control the use of their image, voice or likeness.”
Lucy Bronze, Chelsea FC Women footballer, added: “The rise of deepfakes is unsettling because they can take away a person’s control over their own image and identity. When technology is used to create fake content that appears real, it can be damaging not only to the person involved but also to everyone who sees and shares it.
“No one should have to worry that their face, likeness or reputation can be manipulated without their consent. We need greater awareness, stronger protections, and real accountability to make sure people, especially women and girls, are protected from this kind of abuse.”
Mills & Reeve’s warning comes ahead of a long-anticipated government consultation on digital replicas, which is expected to examine the unauthorised creation and use of AI-generated representations of individuals.
To find out more and support the call for stronger personality rights in the UK. Get involved and add your name and face to the campaign – www.mynamemyface.com
