From Dispatch Room
A 19-year-old university student in the United States has filed a lawsuit against companies linked to a dating app after alleging that her TikTok video and facial likeness were used without consent in advertisements promoting casual sexual encounters.
Kaelyn Lunglhofer, a student at the University of Tennessee, filed the case in federal court in Knoxville, accusing the operators behind the dating app “Meete” of exploiting her identity and falsely portraying her as someone seeking sexual relationships.
According to court filings, the controversy began after a short TikTok video she recorded on the day of her high school graduation resurfaced months later in an online advertisement for the app.
The lawsuit alleged that the advertisement included a narrator asking viewers: “Are you looking for a friend with benefits?” while displaying Lunglhofer’s image.
Lunglhofer said she became aware of the ad after a male classmate recognized her in the promotion and sent her a screen recording.
Describing the experience as humiliating, she said she never authorized the use of her likeness for commercial purposes.
Her legal team argued that the companies involved violated her publicity rights by allegedly using her facial features and online identity without permission to imply romantic or sexual availability.
The lawsuit also references Tennessee’s ELVIS Act, a law enacted in 2024 designed to protect individuals’ likeness, voice and image from unauthorized commercial use.
Lunglhofer’s lawyers further claimed the ad created a false endorsement and misleading representation under U.S. trademark laws.
The app’s operators, including offshore-linked companies associated with Meete, reportedly apologized after the lawsuit became public, stating that third-party marketing agencies were responsible for the promotional materials.
In a statement cited in reports, the company said it was unaware the content had been used and had instructed partners to remove potentially infringing advertisements.
Lunglhofer is seeking damages of at least $750,000 as well as court orders aimed at preventing similar incidents involving other young women.
The case adds to growing global legal debates surrounding digital identity, AI-driven advertising, deepfakes and unauthorized use of personal likenesses on social media platforms.
— Newspot Nigeria
