Berlin Court Rejects Actors Association's Request Against Voice Actors' Group Over AI Dubbing Agreement

The Berlin Regional Court has dismissed an injunction sought by the German Actors Association (BFFS) against the German Voice Actors Association (VDS) regarding public statements on the controversial Netflix AI dubbing agreement. The court ruled on July 8 that all contested remarks made by the VDS were permissible, particularly those attributing partial responsibility for the agreement to the BFFS. The decision is not yet legally binding, and the BFFS retains the right to appeal.

The dispute centers around three statements in a VDS press release from April 17, 2026, about the so-called Assignment of Rights (AOR) agreement. This agreement governs the transfer of certain rights from German dubbing actors to Netflix and has been a source of industry contention since the beginning of the year. The VDS has vocally criticized the terms, asserting that the BFFS played a role in shaping the agreement's provisions.

The BFFS challenged these statements, claiming they were false and damaging assertions of fact. After the VDS declined to issue a cease-and-desist declaration, the BFFS sought a court order to prohibit the group from repeating its claims. However, the court found that the statements were protected opinions, not untrue factual claims, and noted that the BFFS itself had contributed to the creation of the relevant contractual provisions. The court emphasized that participating in the development of contractual clauses is sufficient to be considered as sharing responsibility, even if the party did not formally sign the final agreement.

The court also pointed out that the VDS press release served a legitimate public information purpose, addressing an ongoing debate in the entertainment industry about the use of artificial intelligence in dubbing. The ruling highlighted that the BFFS and Netflix had reached an agreement on AI usage in dubbing, and the specific terms negotiated by the BFFS were directly incorporated into the Netflix AOR. Notably, section 15 of the AOR explicitly references the arrangement between BFFS and Netflix, further establishing the BFFS's involvement.

In public communications prior to the legal dispute, the BFFS had generally portrayed the AOR agreement in a positive light, referring to it as a pioneering initiative and assuring members that AI technologies would be used only within the boundaries of copyright and personal rights protections. The association had also encouraged its members to continue working under the new Netflix AOR, citing the inclusion of safeguards in the agreement.

However, during the court proceedings, the BFFS adopted a more critical stance, with legal representatives distancing the association from several aspects of the AOR. They highlighted concerns regarding the arbitration clause, which could potentially preclude interim legal protection, and raised issues about the data protection provisions, noting that these were not negotiated by the BFFS and were viewed with skepticism by the association.

The VDS, responding to the court's decision, stated that the matter is now resolved from its perspective and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting voice actors in ongoing negotiations with Netflix. The association expressed hope for continued collaboration with the BFFS in advocating for performers' rights in the context of emerging AI technologies in the dubbing sector.