Overview
- The Save Our Voices Now campaign launched on Friday, August 28, 2026 with an open letter to Prime Minister Andy Burnham and a live Gov.uk petition calling for statutory ownership of every person’s voice.
- Around 80 named performers have backed the initiative, including Nicola Coughlan, Hugh Bonneville, Matt Lucas, Luke Evans and Siobhán McSweeney, who say their voices are central to their identity and work.
- Campaign founder Peter Caulfield warned that modern AI can clone a voice in seconds and be used without consent, and the group cites a campaign figure that 28% of UK adults say they have been targeted by a voice‑cloning scam.
- Organisers point to legal changes under way in Denmark as a model, saying Danish reforms that give people control over uses of their face, body and voice allow removal of unauthorised content and claims for compensation.
- The industry response is split: some performers are seeking legal protections or pre‑emptive rights planning, while some estates have authorised recreations for projects, leaving open practical questions about enforcement, definitions of ownership, and effects on artists’ livelihoods.