AI-Generated Short Dramas Use Celebrity Likeness Without Authorization
AI-generated short dramas on a Chinese video platform used Jackson Yee's facial features and voice without authorization to create dramatic content, prompting his studio to hire lawyers and demand removal of the infringing material.
What happened
Multiple AI-generated short dramas on the Red Fruit platform used Jackson Yee's likeness and voice without authorization to create dramatic content. One short drama titled 'Midnight Bus: She Catches Ghosts Super Fiercely!' featured a character with facial features and voice highly similar to Jackson Yee.
Jackson Yee's studio issued a statement on April 5, 2026, stating that the actor had not participated in these dramas and had not authorized third parties to synthesize his likeness. The studio engaged lawyers to pursue legal remedies and demanded all infringing content be immediately removed.
Reported impact
The unauthorized dramas achieved significant viewership, with one drama reaching approximately 40 million heat points and another approximately 75 million heat points on the platform. The misuse of Jackson Yee's identity caused reputational concerns without his consent or participation.
Index analysis
The Red Fruit platform stated that AI-generated short dramas present new challenges for content moderation, as material identification difficulty increases significantly with the introduction of AI production technology. The platform announced plans to strengthen content review mechanisms and establish authorization verification procedures.
Governance controls
The Red Fruit platform responded to complaints about another drama, 'Taohua Zan,' by conducting a 72-hour comprehensive review. The platform found the production company failed to provide sufficient evidence of compliant material use and removed the drama while suspending the production company from uploading content for 15 days.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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