Act Now to Protect Your Digital Image

The New York Senate and New York Assembly are considering a bill (S 5959-A / A 5605-A) that will protect digital image rights to performances and sexually explicit material, and allow families to protect their loved ones from exploitation after they die. 

Please tell your elected officials that your digital image must be protected.

The Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) and the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) are aggressively lobbying legislators to deny performers and their families digital image rights. 

Please text "PERFORMER" to 877877 and tell your state senator and your assembly member to support this vital bill. You will receive a reply text that will connect you directly to your state senator’s office, and then your assembly member's office. 

Or, follow this link to find your senator, and this link to find your assembly member. 

Also, please use the sample tweets to show your support on social media. 

Onward together,

SAG-AFTRA New York Local President Rebecca Damon

SCRIPT:

Hi, my name is (name), and I live in (your town). I’m a (actor, broadcaster, recording artist, etc.) and I’m calling to voice my support for S 5959-A / A 5605-A, the right of publicity and right of privacy bill. I’m calling/writing to ask (name of your legislator) to support this legislation. 

As a SAG-AFTRA member, my name, my voice, and my image are how I make a living. It is for this reason that the majority of states in America recognize a right of publicity law. Without these laws, there is nothing to stop a content creator from cloning my voice or using my face on a product or in a pornographic work – without my permission.

Thank you!

SAMPLE Tweets

Thank you @HeleneWeinstein @DianeSavino for establishing digital image and voice rights for professionals in movies, video games, concerts. New York is home to tens of thousands of performers. Protect their jobs. #5959A #5605A #ProtectMyImage

.@HeleneWeinstein @DianeSavino are fighting for New Yorkers who are superimposed into #Deepfake pornography without consent. Sexual privacy is worth fighting for #5959A #5605A #ProtectMyImage

NY Legislators shouldn’t be fooled by corporate film producers and video game companies @MPAA @TheESA that want free passes to exploit performers after they die. #5959A #5605A #ProtectMyImage

Do @MPAA @TheESA think it is ok for filmmakers to depict actors in #deepfake porn and digitized sex scenes without permission? They should support #5959A #5605A in the #MeToo era #ProtectMyImage Sex abuse is not free speech!