Full Breakdown
SAG-AFTRA Calls for Passage of the NO FAKES Act to Combat Deepfakes
6/17/2026, 12:54:19 AM
Over 16,000 Signatories Urge Congress to Pass the NO FAKES Act
Over 16,000 signatories have endorsed SAG-AFTRA’s open letter urging Congress to pass the revived NO FAKES Act, which would grant individuals legal control over the use of their name, voice and likeness to stop unauthorized deepfakes used for scams, false endorsements or replacing human performance.
Deepfake Surge and Prior Legislative Efforts
Deepfakes—AI-generated videos or audio that mimic real people—have become easier to create as generative models improve. In 2025 Congress passed the Take It Down Act, banning non-consensual intimate images, including AI-generated ones. The NO FAKES Act, first introduced in 2024, stalled in a Senate committee before being re-introduced last month by a bipartisan group.
Stakeholders Supporting the Bill
SAG-AFTRA, led by President Sean Astin and Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, backs the bill. Bipartisan sponsors include Sens. Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Chris Coons (D-DE), Thom Tillis (R-NC) and Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), plus Reps. Maria Salazar (R-FL) and Madeleine Dean (D-PA). Public supporters include OpenAI, the AFL-CIO, YouTube, IBM, the Motion Picture Association, the Recording Industry Association of America, the Recording Academy and the National Association of Broadcasters.
Signatory Numbers and Industry Endorsements
The letter cites over 16,000 signatories from creators, actors, students and the public, and notes endorsements from major tech firms and industry groups.
Risks Posed by Unregulated Deepfakes
SAG-AFTRA warns that deepfakes can endanger performers, creators and consumers by facilitating scams, exploitation, false endorsements, and the substitution of human performance, leaving affected individuals without legal recourse.
Union Statements and Legislative Rationale
President Sean Astin called unchecked AI “ruin[ing] lives” and said Americans demand federal action to protect their voice and likeness. Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland highlighted the broad industry backing, describing the bill as sensible and overdue.
Absence of Organized Opposition
No organized opposition or criticism of the NO FAKES Act appears in the sources.
Gaps in Signatory Disclosure
A SAG-AFTRA spokesperson declined to provide a detailed list of the 16,000 signatories, leaving the coalition’s composition undocumented.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Unchecked AI can ruin lives,” — Sean Astin, SAG-AFTRA President
- “Americans are demanding that the Federal Government take sensible action. The NO FAKES Act would establish a fundamental protection to control their own voice and likeness.” — Sean Astin, SAG-AFTRA President
- “Rarely does legislation earn this kind of cross-sector support. The NO FAKES Act represents common sense, long-overdue federal protection, and Congress now has both the opportunity and the obligation to pass it,” — Duncan Crabtree-Ireland, SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director
- “victims, performers, creators and consumers at risk and in danger” — SAG-AFTRA Open Letter
- “scams, exploitation, false endorsements and the replacement of human performance itself.” — SAG-AFTRA Open Letter
Upcoming Senate Judiciary Committee Hearing
The Senate Judiciary Committee will consider the NO FAKES Act on Thursday, hearing testimony from union leaders, tech experts and possibly affected performers before any further action.
