Taylor Swift files trademarks for voice phrases and Eras Tour image

13 articles · Updated · The Guardian · Apr 27

On April 24, Swift’s company TAS Rights Management filed three trademark applications, including two sound marks for her voice and one for a distinctive Eras Tour photograph.
The move aims to combat AI misuse and unauthorized reproductions, following recent incidents of AI-generated deepfakes and fake endorsements involving Swift’s likeness and voice.
Legal experts note this is a novel use of trademark law, as AI technologies increasingly enable imitation beyond traditional copyright protections. Swift already owns over 50 trademarks related to her brand.

Could trademarking your voice stifle artistic parody and free speech in the new digital age?

If celebrities can trademark their voices, what protections exist for the average person against AI clones?

Beyond celebrities, could trademarking your identity soon become a necessary part of everyday digital life?

Will AI companies now be forced to pay for every voice and face used to train their models?

How will courts decide when an AI-generated voice is illegally 'confusingly similar' to a human's?