Taylor Swift has filed a trio of trademark applications aimed at protecting her image and voice from unauthorized use, a move that underscores the growing threat of deepfake technology. The filings, reported by Variety, cover a famous photograph of Swift performing with a pink guitar during her Eras tour, as well as two audio trademarks for the phrases "Hey, it's Taylor Swift" and "Hey, it's Taylor."
The applications come as scammers increasingly leverage AI-manipulated video footage of celebrities to deceive users on social media platforms like TikTok. These deepfake ads often appear to show Swift or other stars endorsing products, luring victims into sharing personal information.
This is not just a celebrity issue. Earlier this month, an Ohio man became the first person convicted under a new federal law that criminalizes "intimate" deepfake images, highlighting the broader legal and ethical challenges posed by AI-generated content. While anyone can be a target, high-profile figures face a heightened risk of both explicit deepfakes and fraudulent endorsements.
Swift's trademark move aims to establish legal grounds for combating such misuse, as the line between real and fake continues to blur in the digital age.