Protecting Athletes and Their Brands: Businesses Team Up to Combat Deepfakes and Boost NIL Opportunities
SALT LAKE CITY, Dec. 11, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- With the advent of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) earnings, high school, college and professional athletes are more than just competitors. They are entrepreneurs, investors, and brand managers and two companies, SureMark Digital and NILx, have teamed up to help monetize athletes’ NIL efforts while safeguarding their online brands from AI deepfakes.
“With NIL emerging, the new-age athlete needs brand protection,” said Bronson Kaufusi, former NFL defensive end. “SureMark Digital provides that security so athletes can grow their brands safely, without hacks or deepfakes changing the narrative."
NILx is an online platform that promotes and guides athletes through the NIL process, and SureMark Digital is a leader in AI deepfake protection for high-visibility individuals. The collaboration enhances fan engagement by ensuring audiences can trust the authenticity of athletes’ digital content.
Gary Gentry III, CEO of NILx, emphasized the partnership’s importance: “This collaboration represents a pivotal step in protecting athletes' digital identities. As the sports world increasingly moves into the digital space, safeguarding athletes' reputations and assets is critical. SureMark's cutting-edge ID and deepfake protection technology aligns perfectly with our mission to ensure athlete security and brand integrity. Together, we're setting new standards for digital protection in collegiate and professional sports."
Athletes face significant challenges in maintaining the authenticity of their online presence. There are many examples of viral videos falsely portraying an athlete making a controversial claim or endorsing an unrelated product — SureMark’s Digital ID™ verifies and authenticates content, ensuring fans and sponsors trust only the athlete’s approved material.
SureMark Digital’s Chairman Scott Stornetta shared his enthusiasm: “We are thrilled to collaborate with NILx to deliver comprehensive solutions for protecting and enhancing athletes’ digital identities. This partnership allows athletes to focus on their performance while we safeguard their digital reputations.”
SureMark Digital and NILx are setting a new standard for digital integrity in sports together. Visit suremark.digital to learn more about how this technology is protecting athletes and other high-visibility individuals online.
About NILx
NILx is committed to protecting and maximizing athletes’ Name, Image, and Likeness rights. Through advocacy, education, and technology, NILx equips athletes to manage their personal brands effectively and responsibly.
About SureMark Digital
SureMark Digital empowers high-visibility individuals to protect their digital identities by verifying their identity and issuing credentials to authenticate official digital content. Its browser extension allows anyone to validate whether online content is approved by the individual, reducing the risk and impact of AI deepfake attacks.
For media inquiries, contact: Valerie Leach media@suremark.digital
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