Publicity rights are legal protections that can limit the unauthorized commercial use of a person’s identity, including their name, image, likeness, or distinctive voice. The scope and legal basis vary by jurisdiction. They are intended to prevent others from using identity-bearing traits to imply endorsement or attract commercial value without permission.
In cyber security, these rights matter when synthetic media imitates a real person. A cloned voice used in an advertisement, for example, may raise publicity-right concerns, while a convincing imitation can also enable impersonation or social engineering. Organizations should obtain clear consent for commercial use of voice and image assets, retain records of authorization, and verify sensitive requests through a separate trusted channel rather than relying on a familiar-sounding voice.