Hasbro Suffers Backlash After Reportedly Forcing AI Contracts On Peppa Pig's Child Actors - TheGamer

Hasbro has come under scrutiny following allegations that it is pressuring child voice actors working on the popular cartoon Peppa Pig to sign contracts granting the company rights to use their voices for AI generation. The Agents of Young Performers Association issued an open letter highlighting these concerns, which were later linked to the Peppa Pig franchise by reports.

What happened

The controversy centers on new contracts offered to child performers, which reportedly include clauses insisting on the use of AI. These terms would allow Hasbro to clone the children's voices for use in various commercial assets across the franchise. According to the Agents of Young Performers Association, the company adopted a take-it-or-leave-it stance when asked to remove these specific clauses from the agreements.

The association argues that children lack the capacity to provide full legal consent for the indefinite use of their voice and likeness. Their open letter contends that adults acting on behalf of minors should not have the authority to authorize the perpetual commercialization of a child's voice. Furthermore, the organization is calling for a industry-wide standard where any agreement involving a child's voice is fully exempt from all AI usage, ensuring that young performers retain autonomy over their digital identity until they are old enough to make such decisions for themselves.