Dear New York Member:
Today’s technology can easily create and exploit our digital images and voices. Deceased actors give performances from the grave and deceased recording artists perform live on stage. Companies can create and manipulate our images and voices without even hiring us to perform and they claim that our likenesses should be free for the taking.
SAG-AFTRA is calling on Albany lawmakers to protect performers from zombie holograms and digital recreations in advertisements, movies, sex scenes, nude scenes, virtual reality and deepfakes pornography without our consent. And we want these protections passed on to our families when we are gone.
SAG-AFTRA believes that you and your beneficiaries should control the use of your image and voice, digital or otherwise. Without strong protections in the law, companies will profit from your image, your work and your reputation, at your expense.
This week New York lawmakers will vote on this critical issue. We are asking all SAG-AFTRA New York members to contact their elected representatives and encourage them to support strong digital image rights for performers, living and deceased.
The New York bills are:
Assembly Bill: A.8155-B (Morelle)
Senate Bill: S.5857-B (Savino)
Please use this link to contact your assembly representative and tell them to support A.8155B: http://nyassembly.gov/mem/ (*Sample message below)
Please use this link to contact your senator and tell them to support S.5857-B: https://www.nysenate.gov/find-my-senator (*Sample message below)
Stop the zombie apocalypse! Tell your elected representatives that you demand digital image and voice protection.
Onward together,
Rebecca Damon
Executive Vice President and New York President
* Sample Message
Dear _____,
I am a SAG-AFTRA member and I make my living using my image and my voice in advertisements, films, television shows and video games. Please support A.8155 / S.5857 and protect my right, and my families right, to stop companies from using my image and my voice without my consent.