Celebrities and public figures can now request the removal of AI-generated videos that mimic their likeness on YouTube, following the expansion of the platform’s “likeness detection” tool.
In a blog post, the Google-owned video platform said the system is now available to a wider group of personalities, including those who do not maintain their own YouTube channels. It allows individuals or their representatives to flag and review videos that use their face or identity without consent.
The tool scans uploaded content for AI-generated or manipulated visuals that resemble real people. Once detected, flagged videos can be submitted for review, giving affected individuals a formal pathway to request takedowns.
YouTube said the system builds on its existing content identification technologies but is specifically designed to address the surge in deepfakes and synthetic media. Earlier versions of the tool were limited to select creators before being extended to journalists and public officials.
The update comes as deepfakes are increasingly used in scams that exploit the likeness of celebrities to mislead audiences.
A 2025 report by cybersecurity firm McAfee found that personalities such as Taylor Swift, Scarlett Johansson, Jenna Ortega, and Sydney Sweeney are among the most frequently impersonated in AI-generated scams.
Other commonly targeted figures include Brad Pitt, Billie Eilish, Emma Watson, and online streamer Pokimane.
The report noted that scammers often use AI-generated videos and cloned voices to promote fraudulent products, fake giveaways, and investment schemes, capitalizing on public trust in well-known figures.
Despite the new detection system, YouTube said not all flagged content will be automatically removed.
Requests will still be evaluated under existing policies, which allow certain uses such as parody, satire, and content deemed to be in the public interest.
