China’s Cyberspace Administration on April 3 released draft regulations on AI copyright infringement after reports that actors, influencers and ordinary people had their likenesses stolen for AI short dramas. [1]
The draft would require companies to get consent before using a person’s image. For minors, it would require consent from parents or guardians. If consent is later withdrawn, companies would have to delete the personal information they used. [1]
The rules also say companies must respect legal, portrait and reputational rights. They ban caricatures and disparagement tied to AI use of a person’s likeness. [1]
The draft came a day after an actors’ committee under the China Federation of Radio and Television Associations condemned unauthorized AI voice cloning and face swapping. The committee said stealing a performer’s likeness violates legal rights. It also said AI-generated content using other people’s likenesses remains illegal even if it is labeled “non-commercial,” “shared for the public good” or “derivative work.” [1]
The public comment period on the draft runs until May 6. [1]
The rules land as short AI dramas become cheaper and faster to produce than traditional productions, which can take 7 to 10 days to shoot. The facts cite AI-made short dramas costing a few thousand yuan and taking less than five days to make, compared with top human actors earning 15,000 to 30,000 yuan a day. [1]