The Hollywood edition
A small newsletter on legaltech
AI
From the BBC: “In recent months, YouTube has secretly used artificial intelligence (AI) to tweak people’s videos without letting them know or asking permission”
Bollywood stars are suing in Indian court to enforce “personality rights” over their likenesses to protect themselves from unauthorized uses, including deepfakes
Hollywood actors, individually and en masse, are reacting negatively to the announcement of the creation of an AI-generated actor named Tilly Norwood [Variety | SAG-AFTRA statement | Deadline | BBC]
California has enacted a new state law that will require large AI developers to perform assessments of their models for catastrophic risk [Politico | Wilmer Hale | Tech Policy Press | Governor’s press release | Cal Matters]
Related: the California Legislature also passed two bills that attempt to regulate if and how AI developers may offer AI companion products to children
An assessment of AI teacher assistant platforms by Common Sense Media found that several of the most popular platform could generate student behavioral plans that included more punitive measures for students with Black-coded names [Chalkbeat summary | Common Sense Media report]
From Global Voices: “In June 2024, as tear gas and slogans filled Nairobi’s streets, an AI-powered protest surged across WhatsApp, Telegram, TikTok Spaces, and X Live Streams — translating dense legislative text into clear, actionable messages that shaped public debate”
Workers at xAI who are training AI chatbot Grok struggle with requests and outputs that cross the line into illegal sexual content
Blockchain/Digital currency
A federal judge in New Jersey is allowing a “narrowed” shareholder suit against cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase to go forward [Reuters ($) | Docket | Opinion]
Long Reads
Citron, Danielle Keats and Waldman, Ari Ezra, The Evolution of Trust and Safety (August 20, 2025). Virginia Public Law and Legal Theory Research Paper No. 2025-65, Forthcoming, Emory Law Journal, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=5401604 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.5401604
Humlum, Anders and Vestergaard, Emilie, Large Language Models, Small Labor Market Effects (April 15, 2025). University of Chicago, Becker Friedman Institute for Economics Working Paper No. 2025-56, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=5219933