TLDR: OpenAI has decided against withdrawing its Sora 2 video generation model, despite a formal plea from the advocacy group Public Citizen. The group cited significant concerns over the potential for deepfake disinformation, violations of name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights, and the proliferation of digital harassment. OpenAI has not publicly responded to the demand, while also facing separate copyright challenges from Japanese content creators and an ongoing lawsuit with The New York Times.
OpenAI has affirmed its decision to continue the public deployment of its advanced video generation model, Sora 2, despite a strong appeal from the consumer advocacy organization Public Citizen. The group, in a letter dated November 11, 2025, urged OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to withdraw Sora 2 from all public-facing platforms, citing a ‘consistent and dangerous pattern of OpenAI rushing to market with a product that is either inherently unsafe or lacking in needed guardrails.’
Public Citizen’s letter highlighted several critical issues rendering Sora 2 unfit for public consumption. A primary concern is the model’s capacity to create and disseminate deepfake propaganda, posing a significant threat to the erosion of visual facts, particularly in the lead-up to the 2026 mid-term elections. The group also pointed to a ‘massive disregard for Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) Rights,’ noting that individuals’ likenesses are being reproduced without consent, leading to unauthorized deepfakes. OpenAI has reportedly received complaints from the estates of deceased celebrities regarding this issue.
Furthermore, the advocacy group raised alarms about the ‘rise of niche digital harassment and fetish content,’ stating that Sora 2 has facilitated the proliferation of non-nude fetish content, disproportionately affecting women. They also noted a ‘dangerous lack of moderation pertaining to underage individuals depicted in sexual contexts,’ making the tool unsuitable for public use.
J.B. Branch, a Big Tech accountability advocate at Public Citizen, emphasized the urgency of the situation, stating, ‘The hasty release of Sora 2 demonstrates a reckless disregard for product safety, name/image/likeness rights, the stability of our democracy, and fundamental consumer protection against harm.’ The letter pressed Altman to commit to ‘a measured, ethical, and transparent pre-deployment process that provides guarantees against the profound social risks before any public release.’
Adding to the pressure, Public Citizen criticized the ‘total failure of technical protections’ within Sora 2. Researchers reportedly bypassed anti-impersonation safeguards within 24 hours of launch, and ‘mandatory’ safety watermarks could be removed in under four minutes using free online tools. Content filters were also found to be easily circumvented by simple tricks, such as misspelling names to generate copyrighted content.
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OpenAI has not yet issued a public response to Public Citizen’s demands. This development comes as OpenAI continues to grapple with other legal and ethical challenges. Japan’s Content Overseas Distribution Association, representing major animators and video game makers like Studio Ghibli and Bandai Namco, has requested that OpenAI cease using copyrighted content for training without consent, a request supported by the Japanese government. Additionally, OpenAI remains embroiled in a court battle with The New York Times, which alleges the company used millions of its articles to train ChatGPT without permission. The mounting pressure from global media groups, governments, and advocacy bodies introduces new legal risks for OpenAI and its primary partner, Microsoft, potentially impacting the future pace of AI product development across the industry.
