Do you have to disclose AI-generated contentOften yes for realistic fakes, and each platform and law has its own rules

TimeBinder adds a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes.

The file stays on your device. Your browser makes a digital fingerprint of the file. TimeBinder records the fingerprint and the time, not the file.

Short answer

Sometimes. In the EU, from 2 August 2026, deepfakes and some AI-written public-interest text must be disclosed. YouTube requires creators to disclose realistic AI-generated or altered content. Spotify is rolling out AI credits for music. Clearly unrealistic content and minor edits usually do not need a label. Check each platform and country.

What the rules say

EU law. Article 50 of the AI Act applies from 2 August 2026. People using AI to make deepfakes must disclose that the content is artificially generated or manipulated, and people publishing AI-generated text to inform the public on matters of public interest must disclose it unless a person has reviewed it or holds editorial responsibility. For evidently artistic, creative, satirical or fictional work, the duty is limited to disclosing it in a way that does not hamper enjoyment of the work (Regulation (EU) 2024/1689). The Commission says content made before 2 August 2026 does not have to be labelled retroactively, though it encourages it (European Commission FAQ). Separately, providers of generative AI tools must mark their outputs in a machine-readable way.

YouTube. Creators must disclose AI-generated or altered content that seems realistic, such as content that makes a real person appear to say or do something they did not, alters footage of a real event or place, generates a realistic scene that did not occur, or creates music that is the main focus of the video. Non-realistic content and minor edits such as beauty filters or colour adjustment do not need disclosure (YouTube Help).

Spotify. Spotify said on 25 September 2025 that it is supporting a DDEX industry standard for AI disclosures in music credits, and will display the information submitted through labels, distributors and music partners (Spotify).

Other countries, advertising rules and other platforms have their own requirements that we did not survey here.

Keeping a record of how you made something

A short note of which tools you used and what you changed helps if a platform, client or court asks. Keep the original files and working files. A TimeBind records a SHA-256 fingerprint of the exact file and a time, anchored to Bitcoin. The fingerprint is made in your browser and the file is not uploaded.

A fingerprint of the final file and of your source files can help show what existed at a recorded time. A TimeBind shows a file existed by a recorded time and has not changed since. It does not register copyright, is not legal advice and does not by itself show who made the file or whether it is genuine. A TimeBind is not an AI label and does not detect AI. A lawyer can advise on legal duties in your market.

Make a TimeBind: first one free →

First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. An ASAP TimeBind is US$15.

Frequently asked questions

Do I have to label AI art?

On YouTube, only if it looks realistic and could be mistaken for real. In the EU, deepfakes must be disclosed, with a lighter duty for evidently artistic or fictional work.

Do I have to disclose AI on YouTube?

Yes, for realistic AI-generated or meaningfully altered content. Not for clearly unrealistic content or minor edits.

Does AI text need a label in the EU?

In some cases. Text published to inform the public on matters of public interest must be disclosed unless it has human review or editorial control.

Does Spotify require AI disclosure?

Spotify said it will display AI credits submitted through the DDEX standard. We did not find a rule in the post that forces every artist to disclose.

Sources

EUR-Lex, Regulation (EU) 2024/1689 (AI Act), Article 50.
European Commission, Transparency obligations under Article 50 of the AI Act.
YouTube Help, Disclosing use of GenAI content.
Spotify, Spotify strengthens AI protections for artists, songwriters and producers.

Related guides and tools

Your file’s fingerprint, anchored to a global network secured by real electricity and cryptography.

Editing a file—including with AI—changes its fingerprint, not its existing network record.

How this works

Your file’s SHA-256 fingerprint, a short code worked out from its exact contents, is made in your browser, and the file itself stays on your device. A cryptographic commitment to that fingerprint, which may be combined with others, is then anchored in a block on the Bitcoin blockchain. Bitcoin is secured by proof of work: computers around the world spend real electricity to add each block, and changing an earlier block would mean redoing that work faster than the rest of the network. Until that block is confirmed, your proof is pending. Once the Bitcoin anchoring is confirmed, you can verify the proof against that recorded commitment. The confirmed record can then be checked; Pooled TimeBinds are checked through TimeBinder, while ASAP TimeBinds can also be checked independently. If you check the file later and its fingerprint still matches, that shows the file existed no later than the recorded time. The record doesn’t show who made the file, whether AI was used, or that its contents are true.

Your filestays on your device
FingerprintSHA-256
Network timestampon Bitcoin

Record a fingerprint of the file you rely on

Add a layer of protection against AI and human fraud and disputes: a dated, checkable record of the exact file you hold.

Open the app and sign in with email or Google.
Add your files. They stay on your computer.
Seal them and download your Proof of Time certificates.

Open TimeBinder →

First Pooled TimeBind free, no card, then from US$5. See pricing.