Full Breakdown
Taylor Swift Files Trademarks to Guard Voice and Image from AI Deepfakes
4/28/2026, 11:35:26 PM
Core Event
On April 24, Taylor Swift’s company TAS Rights Management filed three trademark applications with the USPTO. Two sound marks capture Swift saying “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift, and you can listen to my new album, ‘The Life of a Showgirl,’ on demand on Amazon Music Unlimited” and “Hey, it’s Taylor.” The third seeks protection for an Eras Tour photograph of Swift holding a pink guitar in a sequined bodysuit and silver boots. If approved, the marks would extend trademark protection to her voice and likeness.
Background & Context
AI tools have generated deepfakes that place Swift’s voice and image in explicit porn, false political ads and other misleading content. Existing copyright and right-of-publicity laws do not cover such AI-generated imitations.
Key Figures & Groups
Applicant: Taylor Swift and TAS Rights Management.
Reporter: trademark attorney Josh Gerben (Gerben IP).
Attorney on filings: Rebecca Liebowitz.
Precedent: actor Matthew McConaughey.
Commentators: Kevin Yorn (Yorn Levine) and Matthew Asbell (Lippes Mathias).
Data & Statistics
Swift has filed over 300 U.S. trademark applications; the new trio adds to hundreds of TAS Rights Management filings. A 2023 study listed her among the most deepfaked public figures. In 2024, X blocked searches after millions viewed explicit AI images of Swift.
Official Statements & Responses
Gerben said the filings protect Swift, noting that using trademark law for a celebrity’s spoken voice and AI-enabled voice imitation without copying a recording allow trademarks to address the issue. Swift posted that AI “conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation.” Yorn said progress should have boundaries and protecting voice and image is essential.
Criticism & Opposition
Asbell warned the voice trademarks are limited to the exact phrases “Hey, it’s Taylor” or “Hey, it’s Taylor Swift,” making enforcement narrow. Casey questioned whether Swift’s voice is distinctive enough for trademark protection. Silverman noted the filings cover only the United States, leaving significant gaps elsewhere.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on whether “Hey, it’s Taylor” meets the distinctiveness threshold for registration, and no court precedent exists for celebrity voice sound marks, creating legal uncertainty. International protection remains absent.
Verbatim Quotes
- “attempting to register a celebrity’s spoken voice is a new use of trademark registration that has not been tested in court before.” — Josh Gerben, trademark attorney
- “By registering specific phrases tied to her voice, Swift could potentially challenge not only identical reproductions, but also imitations that are ‘confusingly similar,’ a key standard in trademark law.” — Josh Gerben
- “It really conjured up my fears around AI, and the dangers of spreading misinformation,” — Taylor Swift, social-media post
- “I don’t believe it will be very effective, except for in rare circumstances,” — Matthew Asbell, IP lawyer, Lippes Mathias
What’s Next
If granted, the marks could be used in lawsuits against AI deepfakes; lawmakers and platforms are meanwhile considering new safeguards and detection tools.
