PHERA Entertainment Exclusive
Port Harcourt City News Era (PHERA) – The Voice of Port Harcourt, The Pulse of Nigeria
Port Harcourt, August 30 (PHERA – The Voice of Port Harcourt, The Pulse of Nigeria) – Global tech giant Meta, owners of Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp, has come under heavy fire after creating flirty AI chatbots that mimic the likeness of world-famous celebrities such as Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Anne Hathaway, and Scarlett Johansson—all without their permission.
According to a Reuters investigation, some of these bots—built by Meta employees themselves—were able to flirt, generate lifelike risqué images, and even pose as the real stars. The revelation has forced Meta to delete several avatars amid international backlash, leaving Hollywood shaken and fans questioning just how far artificial intelligence will go.
Naija Angle: Could Our Stars Be Next?
For fans in Nigeria, the big question is clear:
What if Burna Boy, Tiwa Savage, Davido, Wizkid, or Genevieve Nnaji were cloned into bots tomorrow?
Nigeria’s entertainment industry is booming worldwide, making its stars prime targets for AI exploitation. While there’s no evidence yet of Nigerian celebrities being cloned, the global rise of deepfake and chatbot technology suggests the risk is growing rapidly.
Legal Gap: U.S. vs Nigeria
In the United States, celebrities are protected under Right of Publicity laws, which prevent unauthorized commercial use of their names, images, and voices.
But in Nigeria, the story is different:
– There is no direct publicity rights law.
– Protection falls loosely under copyright, trademarks, the Nigeria Data Protection Act (NDPA 2023), and privacy rights.
– This leaves Nigerian celebrities more vulnerable if their likeness or voice is hijacked by AI without consent.
Why It Matters for Fans
– Exciting? Imagine chatting with a virtual Burna Boy or Tiwa Savage — fans might find it thrilling.
– Scary? Fake risqué images, obsessive fan attachments, and reputational harm are all real dangers.
– Urgent? Nigeria may need fresh laws to shield its stars from AI misuse before the trend spirals out of control.
The Big Question
Would you, as a fan, love to vibe with an AI version of your favorite Naija celebrity… or should Nigeria move quickly to protect its entertainment icons from being digitally hijacked?
Original Reuters scoop here: Meta created flirty chatbots of Taylor Swift, other celebrities without permission (https://www.thomsonreuters.com/en/policies/copyright.html)
