The right of publicity is a state law that protects individuals' identities from being used by others without permission. The boundaries of the claim vary widely from state to state. Rothman's Roadmap to the Right of Publicity provides an interactive overview of each state's right of publicity laws, as well as breaking news and commentary by Jennifer Rothman, one of the leading scholars in the field.

Right of Publicity State-by-State

Select a state or territory to learn more about its right of publicity laws.

Latest News & Commentary

California Passes Law to Allow Student Athletes to Commercialize Their Identities
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Governor Gavin Newsom signed into law SB206 which requires NCAA member universities to allow student athletes to sign endorsement deals and with agents and attorneys without losing their amateur status. Other states are following California's lead...
Ariana Grande Sues Forever 21 over Social Media Posts
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Last week pop sensation Ariana Grande filed a lawsuit against Forever 21 for violation of both her statutory and common law right of publicity under California law, as well as for trademark infringement and false endorsement under the Lanham Act,...
New York Legislative Session Ends With No Vote on Right of Publicity Bill
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The New York legislature closed its session without taking up the proposed right of publicity and privacy bill.
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More News & Commentary

In final hours, New York Makes Last Minute Changes to Right of Publicity Bill
Apparently dropping around midnight Sunday, the New York legislature made a set of last-minute  changes to the proposed right of publicity bill. The amendments focused solely on addressing broadcasters' concerns that remasters of existing works...
Letters and Statements of Opposition Filed Against Proposed New York Right of Publicity Bills
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I sent a letter to members of the New York legislature and their staff today opposing the proposed right of publicity bills that have been introduced in the Senate and Assembly. I focus on four major concerns with the legislation: 1) the...
New York Assembly Revises Right of Publicity Bill to Match Flawed Senate Version
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Today, the New York Assembly introduced an amended version of its proposed right of publicity bill.  It is virtually identical (with only minor changes) to the senate bill introduced a few weeks ago, and contains no improvements or fixes from...
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The Book

Privacy Reimagined For A Public World

THE RIGHT OF PUBLICITY: Privacy Reimagined for a Public World

This book from Harvard University Press by Professor Jennifer Rothman traces the history and development of the right of publicity and its current collision course with individual liberty, free speech and copyright law.

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