Tennessee Ensuring Likeness Voice and Image Security (ELVIS) Act
Tennessee · Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 47-25-1101 to -1108 (ELVIS Act, 2024)
The first US law protecting voices from AI cloning: Tennessee added 'voice' to its right-of-publicity law, so using AI to mimic someone's voice or likeness without permission is both a civil violation and a crime. It also allows lawsuits against those who distribute tools whose primary purpose is producing unauthorized voice or likeness replicas.
Technical detail
Amends the Tennessee Personal Rights Protection Act (Tenn. Code Ann. § 47-25-1101 et seq.) to cover voice (actual or simulated), adds liability for distributing technologies whose primary purpose is unauthorized replication, effective July 1, 2024.
Who is protected: All individuals (notably musicians and performers) whose voice, image, or likeness is used
Who must comply: Anyone making unauthorized commercial or replicative use of a person's voice/likeness, including AI tool distributors
Key facts
| Jurisdiction | Tennessee |
|---|---|
| Level | State |
| Status | In effect |
| Protection strength | Moderate protection |
| Effective date | 2024-07-01 |
| Enacted | 2024-03-21 |
| Citation | Tenn. Code Ann. §§ 47-25-1101 to -1108 (ELVIS Act, 2024) |
| Enforced by | Courts (civil actions); district attorneys (criminal) |
| Private right of action | Yes — individuals can sue |
| Penalties | Civil damages and injunctive relief; Class A misdemeanor criminal liability |
| Topics | deepfakes · AI-generated images · copyright and training data · consumer protection |
| Last verified | 2026-06-10 |
| Official source | Tennessee Governor's Office: ELVIS Act announcement ↗ |
More AI rules in Tennessee
- TN SB 151 (2017 AV Act) · In effect
- TN drone trespass / FFUSA · In effect
- Tennessee HB 2163 (AI-generated child abuse images are illegal 'material') · In effect
- Tennessee Information Protection Act (opt out of automated profiling decisions) · In effect
- Tennessee SB 837 (AI is not a 'person' under TN law) · In effect
- Tennessee SB 1580 (AI can't claim to be a mental health professional) · In effect
Related deepfakes rules elsewhere
- Arkansas Frank Broyles Act AI amendment — voice and likeness protection (2025) · In effect
- Doe v. X.AI (Grok NCII deepfakes class action) · In effect
- xAI v. Harwood (Grok NCII Counter-Suit 2026) · Blocked / in litigation
- Arizona HB 2133 deepfake sexual content — vetoed 2026 · Vetoed
- NY AG · In effect
- MI SOS Deepfake Election Policy · In effect
See something wrong or out of date? Submit a correction — every entry must carry a verifiable official source.