2023 Tennessee Code › Title 47 - COMMERCIAL INSTRUMENTS AND TRANSACTIONS (§§ 47-1-101 — 47-50-121) › Chapter 25 - TRADE PRACTICES (§§ 47-25-NEW — 47-25-2006) › Part 11 - PROTECTION OF PERSONAL RIGHTS (§§ 47-25-1101 — 47-25-1108) › Section 47-25-1105 - Unauthorized use prohibited

(a)
(1)
Any person who knowingly uses or infringes upon the use of an individual's name, photograph, voice, or likeness in any medium, in any manner directed to any person other than such individual, for purposes of advertising products, merchandise, goods, or services, or for purposes of fundraising, solicitation of donations, purchases of products, merchandise, goods, or services, without such individual's prior consent, or, in the case of a minor, the prior consent of such minor's parent or legal guardian, or in the case of a deceased individual, the consent of the executor or administrator, heirs, or devisees of such deceased individual, is liable to a civil action.
(2)
A person is liable to a civil action if the person publishes, performs, distributes, transmits, or otherwise makes available to the public an individual's voice or likeness, with knowledge that use of the voice or likeness was not authorized by the individual or, in the case of a minor, the minor's parent or legal guardian, or in the case of a deceased individual, the executor or administrator, heirs, or devisees of such deceased individual.
(3)
A person is liable to a civil action if the person distributes, transmits, or otherwise makes available an algorithm, software, tool, or other technology, service, or device, the primary purpose or function of such algorithm, software, tool, or other technology, service, or device is the production of a particular, identifiable individual's photograph, voice, or likeness, with knowledge that distributing, transmitting, or otherwise making available the photograph, voice, or likeness was not authorized by the individual or, in the case of a minor, the minor's parent or legal guardian, or in the case of a deceased individual, the executor or administrator, heirs, or devisees of such deceased individual.
(b)
In addition to the civil action authorized by this section and the remedies set out in §
47-25-1106
, any person who commits unauthorized use as defined in subsection (a) commits a Class A misdemeanor.
(c)
It is no defense to the unauthorized use defined in subsection (a) that the photograph includes more than one (1) individual so identifiable; provided, that the individual or individuals complaining of the use shall be represented as individuals per se rather than solely as members of a definable group represented in the photograph.
(d)
If an unauthorized use as defined in subsection (a) is by means of products, merchandise, goods or other tangible personal property, all such property, including all instrumentalities used in connection with the unauthorized use by the person violating this section, is declared contraband and subject to seizure by, and forfeiture to, the state in the same manner as is provided by law for the seizure and forfeiture of other contraband items.
Amended by 2024 Tenn. Acts, ch. 588,s 6, eff. 7/1/2024.
Acts 1984, ch. 945, § 5; 1989, ch. 308, § 1; 1991, ch. 506, § 1; 2005, ch. 395, §§ 4, 5.