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gpm-official.bsky.social
Game Performance Matters
@gpm-official.bsky.social
580 followers 83 following 130 posts
By performers, for everyone. #GamePerformanceMatters 🎮
Not associated with SAG-AFTRA
www.gameperformancematters.com
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gpm-official.bsky.social
GPM would like to congratulate ZA/UM workers on this achievement! We support all game developers worldwide in their labor organization and unionization efforts 🙌
October 15, 2025 at 8:22 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
📣 INDUSTRY NEWS 📣

GameDeveloper.com reports that UK workers at studio ZA/UM have unionized! This is a monumental first for the UK game industry 👏

Link to article:
www.gamedeveloper.com/business/wor...
October 15, 2025 at 8:21 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
Please support our friends at NAVA by tuning in to twitch.tv/navavoices for their "Day of Play” livestream on Saturday June 14th from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. PT for an epic day celebrating games and raising critical funds to protect human voices in gaming! ❤️ 🎙🎮🕹

Follow @navavoices for more info!
June 10, 2025 at 8:32 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
Strike solidarity from UK voice actor & @equityuk.bsky.social member @kitharrison.com thanks for making our Monday, Kit! 🎙️💪🇬🇧

A reminder that we’re all in this fight for airtight AI protections together; not just in the US, but globally ♥️
Though the fight may be long, it is absolutely worthwhile!
June 9, 2025 at 3:07 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
GPM supports Ms. Potter in her fight for better data protection in the UK and EU and, more immediately, to have her voice clone removed.

(3/5)
The text of the article, part eight: “Liam Budd is an industrial official for recorded media at UK trade union Equity, which represents 50,000 workers throughout the creative industries. He said: "Sadly this is just one example of many performers who have their image or voice used to generate digital replicas without their full or informed consent. "This is a real concern. "Our members are effectively competing in a marketplace with Al systems that have been trained on their own image and voice without their consent. "Their likeness is effectively being hijacked."” The text of the article, part nine: “Ms Potter said that Al had developed massively in the past four years and a lot of historical contracts were not fit for purpose. She added: "Why would I give my voice away that was going to do me out of work forever? That's nuts." Ms Potter also believed that her work should be covered by GDPR - UK and EU data protection regulations - and that her consent should have been required for ReadSpeaker to sell a commercial programme. She contacted the Information Commissioner's Office, the regulatory body which advises on data protection rights established by UK law.” The text of the article, part ten: “But it said that the case was outside its jurisdiction as the data was controlled by ReadSpeaker. Ms Potter said she was now asking her lawyers to approach ScotRail to request the announcements be removed. She said: "If ScotRail want to do the right thing, I'm happy to do their voice announcements. "At least I know how to say Milngavie."”
May 28, 2025 at 1:09 AM
gpm-official.bsky.social
All performers worldwide have the right to transparency, consent, and compensation. There is an urgent need for Al protections and Al copyright laws to protect performers' likeness, image, and voice as well as protect them from the creation of digital replicas without their consent.

(2/5)
The text of the article, part four: “Last week Ms Potter discovered the voice was being introduced across ScotRail after reading a BBC Scotland online story. It told how some passengers had expressed unhappiness with the new artificial announcer. One passenger said: "It was weird. I could tell it was Al because it sounded so robotic." Ms Potter, who said she had been in dispute with ReadSpeaker for two years, revealed that after reading the online story she burst into tears.” The text of the article, part five: “"After the years that I've gone through to try to have my data removed - it's still being used," she said. "I also have to look on social media and see people mocking it, berating it. "They don't realise it's actually a real person who's been put through a dreadful voice app." Ms Potter added: "It's hard enough for people in the creative industry to sustain careers but to be competing with a robotic version of yourself just adds insult to injury."” The text of the article, part six: “ReadSpeaker markets its products, including lona, as an "Al voice generator," but it said all of its programmes are based on "human voice talent" The firm uses a text-to-speech model, that means a user can type anything and lona will read it out loud. The technology uses artificial intelligence learning but Al needs something to learn from. In this instance, it is voice recordings of an accent or language it is trying to emulate. In response to the complaints, the tech firm said: "ReadSpeaker is aware of Ms Potter's concerns, and has comprehensively addressed these with Ms Potter's legal representative several times in the past."” The text of the article, part seven: “Jennifer Cass, a partner at law firm Dentons, said there was a gap when it came to some protections against Al usage. She said copyright extended to literary and artistic works but not "likeness or image". "At the moment, there is no protection for image and voice in the UK," Ms Cass said. "It is something that is being considered in the context of the Al copyright consultation which recently closed." Ms Cass added: "There is a question about whether copyright should be expanded to cover likeness and image and to prevent the creation of digital replicas as well."”
May 28, 2025 at 1:09 AM
gpm-official.bsky.social
BBC reports that voice actor Gayanne Potter has had her voice cloned by Al without her consent, and the model is being used as the new announcer voice of ScotRail. She is currently battling for it to be taken down.

Story in images and link to the article in thread.

(1/5)
A BBC News story page titled “‘Stop using my voice’ - New train announcer is my AI clone” It is accompanied by a photo of Gayanne Potter, the voice actor in question, behind a microphone. She stands in front of a wall of black sound foam, looking at the camera. She is wearing a blue-grey t-shirt, has brown hair pulled back away from her face, and blue eyes. The subtitle says “Gayanne Potter claims recordings of her voice were used unknowingly to train an artificial Scottish speaker called Iona.” The text of the news story, part 1: “A woman who believes her voice has been used to create ScotRail's new Al-generated announcement system is calling for it to be removed from trains. ScotRail recently introduced a synthetic Scottish voice to make onboard announcements in place of pre-recorded human announcers. Voiceover artist Gayanne Potter said the artificial announcer - which is marketed as an imaginary character called lona - was trained by Swedish technology firm ReadSpeaker using her voice. ReadSpeaker told BBC Scotland News it had already addressed Ms Potter's concerns "several times"” The text of the news story, part 2: “ScotRail said it had no plans to remove “Iona” and the dispute was between the company and the voiceover artist.” The text of the news story, part 3: “Ms Potter said she did some work for ReadSpeaker in 2021 which she was told would be used for accessibility and e-learning software. But two years later, when the job was largely forgotten, a friend sent her a link to ReadSpeaker's website. Ms Potter opened the page to find lona - a text-to-speech programme marketed as a red haired woman standing in a Scottish glen. "It is my voice - I'm absolutely certain it's my voice," she said. "I was horrified - the quality of it was dreadful."”
May 28, 2025 at 1:09 AM
gpm-official.bsky.social
3/3 docs.google.com/document/d/1...
May 22, 2025 at 8:00 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
2/3
May 22, 2025 at 7:57 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
@crispinfreeman.bsky.social response to the anonymous chart that’s been floating around for the past few days, summarized with some GPM additions.

The full response is linked at the end of the thread/in the caption. #SAGAFTRA #LevelUpTheContract
May 22, 2025 at 7:57 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
(3/4)
“It is also vital to point out that if you do choose to work on a struck production, it can mean problematic reputational damage in months or years to come when the game comes out and fellow union members can see who took a role in a game that they were due to work on but were on strike.” “How do I know if a game is struck? It is crucial that performers, casting directors, agents, etc, all do their due diligence to check that the game they are working on is not a struck production. You can do this easily by heading to the strike checker here: Interactive Media (Video Game) Strike SAG-AFTRA You will need to input the game's production code/ ID or code name. If you do not have this information, ask for it. Ask whoever is reaching out to you to work on the game for the production ID or strike status.”
May 22, 2025 at 7:30 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
(2/4)
“What are we suggesting? Now is a crucial time in the SAG-AFTRA Games strike and the actions that we take here in the UK in response to the strike can shape the outcome. If we resist the changes that union members in the US are striking over, we can help them win and ensure that we don't face the same fate here. Equity is not legally able to instruct our members to withdraw labour (go on strike in solidarity with our US comrades. We can however, give you all the facts you need to decide how best you can demonstrate solidarity to push the strike forwards and to help SAG-AFTRA win.” “Firstly, you must seriously consider the implications of working on runaway productions (productions that were originally due to be made in the US but come to the UK to record on unfavourable terms, e.g. with restrictive buyouts and low pay for performers). Working on a production like this not only undermines strike action in the US and makes the fight harder, but will mean conditions, pay and terms in the UK will worsen. It may be tempting in the short term to accept a job, but it will mean that terms we accept now will set a precedent for the future leaving us no room to negotiate. We are in a really powerful position in the UK to stand up for better terms here. We can close off avenues to games developers who want to worsen pay and conditions, and welcome them to make games in the UK only if they do so on terms that do not undermine SAG-AFTRA.” “We are in a really powerful position in the UK to stand up for better terms here. We can close off avenues to games developers who want to worsen pay and conditions, and welcome them to make games in the UK only if they do so on terms that do not undermine SAG-AFTRA. If UK performers accept restrictive buyouts, with all rights across multiple titles bought out in perpetuity, it may mean that more work comes to the UK but it will mean work will be on terrible terms and pay, with your potential earnings in future completely scuppered.” “If UK performers give the green light to the use of A.I. to replace performances, this will be the the end of performers being an essential tool to make videogames. Being an essential part of the game is what gives you power and leverage. Currently, performers (both voice, mo-cap and p-cap) are crucial to making a videogame. YOU have something developers and producers need and cannot replicate. If we give these rights away, we lose our power, lose our leverage and will have even less ability to negotiate decent pay and conditions in games.”
May 22, 2025 at 7:30 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
💜 EQUITY SOLIDARITY 💜

Thank you @equityuk.bsky.social for this article letting UK members know what our strike entails and how to best support our efforts. We appreciate the international solidarity!

Link to full article at the end of the thread 👇

(1/4)
From Equity UK’s website: “Guidance for members regarding the SAG-AFTRA strike Update on the SAG-AFTRA games strike Published May 2025 Equity recently met with representatives from SAG-AFTRA who provided an update on their strike action, where they currently are in their fight, and how Equity can support them. Detailed information is outlined below.” “The essential points covered are as follows: • SAG-AFTRA union members are still on strike in video games in the US. • The main fight is around Al, and demanding fair terms and compensation for usage. • SAG-AFTRA members are turning down work to hold the line on their fight. There is a risk that employers will seek to bring some videogames over to the UK and hire UK based performers on poor pay and terrible terms. Equity is resisting this and warns that terms in the UK will worsen if this is not resisted” “The SAG-AFTRA strike checker provides the 'status' of games to show if it is a 'struck' production. • Working on a struck production undermines the strike action, and puts members at risk of reputational damage and potential issues with joining SAG-AFTRA in future. • Equity members can safeguard their future by resisting poor terms and conditions here in the UK. • You can decide as an individual if you want to take on work here. Equity strongly advises you to check the strike status of any games work, and to demand Equity terms at minimum.” “SAG-AFTRA union members in the US have been on strike in videogames for around nine months. This means nine months of refusing work, sacrificing income and experience to hold their position to resist problematic Al provisions and in-perpetuity all-rights buyouts for multi picture use in their games contracts. As the strike continues, it is even more important that we establish a position here in the UK to protect our future and the future of work in games. US Games producers will start to look to the UK as a place to come for cheap labour and exploitative conditions, as they meet resistance from performers in the US.”
May 22, 2025 at 7:30 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
Tomorrow (tonight?) at 1am EST, the House of Representatives Rules committee will vote to approve the text of a federal budget bill, part of which would ban states from regulating AI at all for 10 YEARS.

Here’s how the SAG-AFTRA video game strike ties in and what you can do to help:
May 20, 2025 at 8:52 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
@samwitwer.bsky.social had the precognition to address this situation exactly.
May 16, 2025 at 8:32 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
An important message from @samwitwer, Pt 5.

Be sure to register for tonight’s strike update if you can and make your voices heard!
May 13, 2025 at 6:30 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
An important message from @samwitwer, Pt 4.

Be sure to register for tonight’s strike update if you can and make your voices heard!
May 13, 2025 at 6:16 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
An important message from @samwitwer, Pt 3.

Be sure to register for tonight’s strike update if you can and make your voices heard!
May 13, 2025 at 6:16 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
An important message from @samwitwer, Pt 2.

Be sure to register for tonight’s strike update if you can and make your voices heard!
May 13, 2025 at 5:03 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
An important message from @samwitwer.bsky.social, Pt 1.

Be sure to register for the 5/13 strike update if you can and make your voices heard!
May 13, 2025 at 4:44 AM
gpm-official.bsky.social
We’ve prepared a script for you here if you’d like to contact your House representative and voice your disapproval but aren’t sure what to say.

We’ve also collected resources to help you figure out how to contact your representatives further down in the thread.

3/5
“Hi, [Representative Namel, I'm contacting you to express my disagreement and concern over an Al provision GOP House members are trying to sneak into the already-oppressive budget reconciliation bill. The provision would prevent states from regulating Al for the next 10 years. This is a massive consolidation of power to the Federal level and a massive capitulation to big tech at the expense of the American people.” (1/2) “I encourage you to speak with your colleagues about how this will harm Americans and American workers in entertainment, tech, communications, the medical field, and many other areas either by taking jobs away from them, taking water and energy from their communities for their data centers, or taking their private information and abusing it for their own monetary gain. I also encourage you to vote NO on this budget reconciliation bill unless this overreaching provision is fully removed-not amended, removed. Thank you for your time. [Your Name]”
May 13, 2025 at 12:27 AM
gpm-official.bsky.social
Get your action hats on!
Tomorrow, the US House considers the text of a new budget reconciliation bill introduced by Kentucky Congressman Brett Guthrie.

The bill contains harmful cuts to Medicaid. It also contains a provision that would prevent states from regulating AI at all…
FOR 10 YEARS.

1/5
Screenshot of the title of a 404 article discussing the AI-protection-busting provision. “Republicans Try to Cram Ban on Al Regulation Into Budget Reconciliation Bill By EMANUEL MAIBERG • MAY 12, 2025 AT 10:09 AM Republicans try to use the Budget Reconciliation bill to stop states from regulating Al entirely for 10 years.” “Late last night, House Republicans introduced new language to the Budget Reconciliation bill that will immiserate the lives of millions of Americans by cutting their access to Medicaid, and making life much more difficult for millions more by making them pay higher fees when they seek medical care. While a lot of attention will be justifiably given to these cuts, the bill has also crammed in new language that attempts to entirely stop states from enacting any regulation against artificial intelligence.” “ “...no State or political subdivision thereof may enforce any law or regulation regulating artificial intelligence models, artificial intelligence systems, or automated decision systems during the 10 year period beginning on the date of the enactment of this Act," says the text of the bill introduced Sunday night by Congressman Brett Guthrie of Kentucky, Chairman of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce. The text of the bill will be considered by the House at the budget reconciliation markup on May 13.” “That language of the bill, how it goes on to define Al and other "automated systems," and what it considers "regulation," is broad enough to cover relatively new generative Al tools and technology that has existed for much longer. In theory, that language will make it impossible to enforce many existing and proposed state laws that aim to protect people from and inform them about Al systems.”
May 13, 2025 at 12:27 AM
gpm-official.bsky.social
*REPOST FROM SAG-AFTRA*

🎮

“If you work in video games, we need to hear from you!

#SagAftraMembers, join us in person in L.A. or online
TOMORROW, 5/13 at 5 PT/8 ET to review the Employer's 'last, best & final' offer.

This meeting is CRUCIAL. #VideoGameStrike More info/ RSVP: ow.ly/Trq050VRgKA “
“Member Update Meeting Employers’ Last, Best, and Final Offer Tuesday, May 13 5-8pm PT / 8-11pm ET In person @ Los Angeles and online SAG-AFTRA Video Game Strike”
May 12, 2025 at 6:45 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
and don’t you ever get it twisted!!!!
meme photo of a hand about to forcefully press a button. the text overlaying the hand reads “us” and the text overlaying the button reads “loving and respecting non union allies”
May 7, 2025 at 6:10 PM
gpm-official.bsky.social
Creatives in all industries are incredible. Community & collaboration are key to creating work that moves people & movements that change the world! 🥳

In honor of the solidarity we’ve seen & the road ahead, we’d love you to join us in celebrating how we're #StrongerTogether & #StillFighting 💪 (1/4)
An image of colorful cartoon hands in a circle surrounding the Game Performance Matters logo along with the text, “Stronger Together and Still Fighting!” An image of colorful cartoon hands in a circle surrounding the Game Performance Matters logo along with the text, “Humans Make Video Games!” An image of colorful cartoon hands in a circle surrounding the Game Performance Matters logo along with the text, “Game Performance Matters!” An image of colorful cartoon hands in a circle surrounding the Game Performance Matters logo along with the text, “I’m Holding The Line!”
May 7, 2025 at 5:32 PM