Hasbro Faces Backlash Over AI Voice‑Rights Clause for Peppa Pig Child Actors

Hasbro, the owner of the global children’s series Peppa Pig, is reported to be requiring the show’s child voice actors to sign contracts that transfer the rights to their recorded voices to artificial‑intelligence systems for use in any commercial asset of the franchise. The clause would allow Hasbro to clone a child’s voice and reuse it indefinitely, raising concerns that the children’s vocal likenesses could become permanent commercial assets without their informed consent.

An open letter organized by the Agents of Young Performers Association (AYPA) has been signed by roughly 1,000 actors, agents and industry professionals. The letter argues that children cannot give fully informed legal consent and that parental approval should not serve as a blanket license to capture, train, or reuse a child’s voice indefinitely. It calls for the AI clause to be removed and condemns the “take‑it‑or‑leave‑it” approach.

Hasbro has acknowledged the letter, stating that the protection of child performers is “core to who Hasbro is” and part of its “DNA,” but declined to comment on specific negotiations. The company acquired the Peppa Pig brand in 2019 for about $3.8 billion. The controversy reflects a broader industry trend of AI‑related contract clauses in entertainment, prompting debate over ethical and legal safeguards for young talent.