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Policy·P Space·Evidence-backed problem·Published 2026-07-13

AI-Generated Likeness and The Law: Protecting Personality Rights in The Age of Deepfakes and Social Media Exploitation

The proliferation of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies—particularly deepfakes—has given rise to complex legal and ethical challenges concerning the unauthorised use of an individual’s likeness. With AI-generated content becoming increasingly indistinguishable from reality, questions surrounding the protection of personality rights have taken centre stage. Celebrities, politicians, and even private individuals are now at risk of having their images, voices, and behaviours manipulated and disseminated with…

TRV-2026-0131Peer-reviewedPermanent record — cite & verify
AI-Generated Likeness and The Law: Protecting Personality Rights in The Age of Deepfakes and Social Media Exploitation

"Inside the Dáil" by David Kernan, CC BY 4.0.

The quick read

By July 2026, a peer-reviewed paper examined how proliferation of AI deepfake technologies allows unauthorized use of a person's likeness, including manipulation of images, voices and behaviours and dissemination without consent, affecting celebrities, politicians and private individuals on social media.

The analysis matters because existing personality rights, privacy and intellectual property laws have not kept pace with the technology, leaving cross-jurisdictional gaps; it remains uncertain how comparative case law and proposed regulatory strategies will translate into enforceable protections and platform accountability.

Main points
  • Paper focuses on AI-generated likenesses and deepfakes that manipulate images, voices and behaviours.
  • Identifies at-risk groups as celebrities, politicians, and private individuals facing non-consensual dissemination.
  • Analyzes gaps across personality rights, privacy laws, and intellectual property frameworks.
  • Examines case law, statutory frameworks, and comparative legal approaches across jurisdictions.
Problem

AI deepfake tools enable unauthorized manipulation and dissemination of individuals' images, voices and behaviours without consent, exposing them to digital exploitation.

The rundown

The article describes how AI-generated content is becoming increasingly indistinguishable from reality, heightening risks on social media platforms where manipulated likenesses can be spread.

It frames the issue as a regulatory lag, noting gaps in legal protection across jurisdictions and calling for updated legislation and proactive regulation to ensure accountability for creators, platforms, and victims.

Sources

Reader signal

How should this claim be treated?

The debate