Hasbro Requires Peppa Pig Child Stars to Sign AI Voice Contract; Actor Organization Publicly Opposes

On June 25, 2026, Hasbro proposed new contracts to child voice actors for Peppa Pig, requiring them to agree to the company’s use of AI to replicate their voices and apply them across all commercial assets. The clause was presented on a “take it or leave it” basis, prompting the Agents of Young Performers Association to issue an open letter highlighting the issue.

Specific Implementation Details of the Contract Clause

The open letter clearly describes the contract content: a production company holding an international children’s animation IP insists on using AI in a long-running series, allowing it to deploy the child actors’ voices for all commercial purposes. Deadline’s report further confirms the IP is Peppa Pig. Since Hasbro acquired the IP in 2019, this contract adjustment directly targets the extension of dubbing rights.

No age grading or post-hoc revocation mechanism is included in the contract. Child actors who refuse to sign may lose their roles, effectively creating a coercive condition. The original text of the open letter cited by IGN indicates that the production company did not offer any alternative terms.

Core Contradiction in the Use of Minors’ Voice Data

The contract does not specify the storage period, access permissions, or deletion process for AI model training data. Opponents point out that children’s voices constitute sensitive biometric data, and their commercial replication requires higher protection standards.

The refusal to remove this clause has led us to write to the industry, stating that this practice is unacceptable.

— Agents of Young Performers Association open letter

As a transnational IP, Peppa Pig’s dubbing contracts directly affect child actors in multiple countries, yet existing mechanisms lack cross-regional coordination.

Industry Power Structure and Unequal Contract Negotiation

Child actors typically sign contracts through agents, whose agencies are far smaller than the IP holders. Hasbro’s contract template is drafted by its legal team, making it difficult for actors to modify key terms. This structure makes AI usage rights a starting point for negotiation rather than an option.

• The contract does not require additional written confirmation from parents or guardians regarding the scope of AI usage
• No time limit or geographic restrictions are set for AI-generated content
• No channel for requesting deletion of voice data is provided

Analysis of Underlying Driving Factors

The root of the dispute lies in how the IP holder prioritizes content control. After acquiring Peppa Pig, Hasbro needs to maintain consistency across global multilingual versions, making AI dubbing a cost-reduction path. However, this path has not simultaneously established rules for minimizing children’s data usage.

The current contract model treats AI application as the default option rather than an exception. This contrasts with the traditional sequential negotiation approach for dubbing rights. Children, lacking independent bargaining power, amplify the power asymmetry.

Independent Judgment

Hasbro’s contract practice lacks corresponding measures for the special protection of minors at the implementation level. The industry needs to establish mandatory pre-review and periodic audit mechanisms for AI voice usage, rather than relying on post-hoc dispute resolution.