NY Governor signs Right To Publicity Protections Bill

Governor of New York, USA Andrew Cuomo signed legislation (S5959D/A.5605-C) that establishes a right to publicity for deceased individuals to protect against the commercial exploitation, or unauthorised use, of their personal characteristics that have commercial value, including their name, picture, voice, or signature after their passing. According to the legislation, these rights can be exercised by their descendants, giving them the ability to control and protect their likeness or image after their death. It also creates new penalties for publishing sexually explicit content of individuals to protect people from revenge porn and deep fakes, the use of which continues to increase in the digital age. Governor Cuomo stated that this legislation is a key step in protecting the rights of deceased persons.