Your voice could be cloned - and UK law may not stop it - BBC
Voice-over artist Faye Dicker discovered her voice was cloned and sold online without consent, highlighting a significant gap in UK legislation regarding AI identity protection
- Incident date
- Jun 2026
- Target
- Faye Dicker
Bristol-based voice-over artist Faye Dicker recently discovered that an AI model of her voice had been created and sold online without her permission. The unauthorized clone was hosted on the US-based platform Fish Audio, where it was reportedly downloaded more than 900 times, raising serious concerns regarding identity misuse, loss of professional control, and the potential for scams.
What happened
Faye Dicker’s voice was synthesized into an AI model using short audio clips, allowing the digital copy to be distributed on Fish Audio. The discovery has caused significant distress for Dicker, who noted the negative impact on her income and career stability within a declining industry. She stated she has no visibility into how her voice was used or what content was generated using her likeness.
Legal experts, including media lawyer Dr. Mathilde Pavis, argue that current UK legislation is "unfit for purpose" because existing laws—such as copyright, trademarks, and data protection—were drafted before modern AI cloning technology existed. While the UK relies on a "patchwork" of regulations to address digital likeness, these measures often fail to protect an individual’s physical and personal identity. In contrast, countries like France, Italy, the Netherlands, and Denmark have established specific personality rights that offer more robust protections.
The trade union Equity reports that AI cloning has become a primary concern, noting that they have submitted claims on behalf of more than 20 members whose voices were allegedly misappropriated. While Fish Audio removed the content and stated that their terms of use prohibit unauthorized uploads, the incident has fueled calls from figures like Baroness Beeban Kidron for the UK government to strengthen creative rights and grant likeness the same legal status as other forms of intellectual property. The government has indicated it plans to launch a consultation to address these harms while balancing the need for innovation.