Who Controls Your Likeness When You’re Gone?
Lauren Hendrickson
March 11, 2026
Public figures often remain part of culture long after their lifetime. Films are re-released, interviews are replayed, and familiar faces
Public figures often remain part of culture long after their lifetime. Films are re-released, interviews are replayed, and familiar faces
Across global markets, some of the most valuable brand assets are closely tied to real people. Michael Jordan’s silhouette generates
Questions about copyright and personal identity have become more common in recent years. Can you copyright your face? Is your
Introduction: When a Person’s Likeness Became a Commercial Risk Long before synthetic media and automated tools, disputes over likeness were
You might watch a video online and recognize the person speaking. Their voice sounds natural. Their expressions feel familiar. The message seems intentional. In some cases, though, that person never sat in front of a camera. What you are seeing is an AI avatar, a digital representation of a real individual created to appear and speak on their behalf.
Artificial intelligence is changing how identities are copied, shared, and monetized. In early 2025 alone, celebrities were targeted 47 times by AI generated impersonations, an 81 percent increase compared to all of 2024. This rise highlights how unregulated likeness use is affecting entertainment and weakening trust between public figures and their audiences.
The term “AI slop” describes AI-generated content produced at scale with little context or original perspective. It typically feels repetitive or interchangeable because speed and output volume are prioritized over meaning or authorship.
Key Takeaways: AI-generated fake IDs are synthetic identity documents created using artificial intelligence. Instead of altering real IDs, they’re built
What the DMCA Is and Why It Still Matters Today The Digital Millennium Copyright Act, often called the DMCA, is
