Legal Admissibility of Deepfakes in Film and Broadcast Media

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@article{1714313,
      author = {Tomilola Ayeni},
      title = {Legal Admissibility of Deepfakes in Film and Broadcast Media},
      journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
      year = {2026},
      volume = {9},
      number = {8},
      pages = {827-832},
      issn = {2456-8880},
      url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1714313.pdf},
      abstract = {This paper examines the legal admissibility of deepfakes within professional film and broadcast media, arguing that synthetic media technologies do not exist outside the law but instead test the limits of existing legal doctrines. While public discourse often frames deepfakes primarily as tools of deception and harm, their growing use in authorised film production, visual effects, historical reconstruction, and performance continuity raises more nuanced legal questions. The paper analyses how doctrines relating to consent, personality rights, privacy, defamation, copyright, and audience protection apply to deepfakes across different jurisdictions. Drawing on case law from the United States, the United Kingdom, and selected African jurisdictions, the paper demonstrates that legality turns less on the technology itself and more on the context of use, the presence of informed consent, contractual clarity, and audience transparency. The paper also considers broadcast regulation, highlighting how audience perception and regulatory standards shape admissibility beyond traditional intellectual property law.},
      keywords = {Deepfakes, Legal admissibility, Media regulation, Personality rights},
      month = {February},
  }