Meete Sued Over Alleged Misuse of TikTok Video in Geofenced Ads
Summary
A University of Tennessee student alleges Meete used her TikTok video in misleading ads targeted near her dorm. She is suing companies behind the app, seeking $750,000 and ad revenue, and says the ads harmed her reputation and safety.
Key points
- Kaelyn Lunglhofer alleges Meete used her TikTok video without consent, adding graphics and a voiceover that made it appear she endorsed the dating app.
- The complaint alleges the ads ran on platforms including Snapchat and were geofenced to reach people near Lunglhofer, including men in her dormitory.
- Lunglhofer says a male student alerted her to the ads and saved recordings and screenshots of them.
- The lawsuit names Quantum Communications Development Unlimited, Starpool Data Limited and Guangzhou Yuedong Interconnection Technology.
- The suit alleges violations of the Lanham Act, Tennessee’s ELVIS Act, defamation law and right-of-publicity law; Lunglhofer seeks $750,000 in punitive damages and revenue tied to the ads.
- The allegations have not been established in court. Snap and the defendants did not respond to the article’s requests for comment.
Article Details
- Event Type
- Lawsuit alleging that Meete's makers used a woman's TikTok video without consent in an advertisement and geofenced the ad to people near her, including men in her dormitory.
- Impact
- Kaelyn Lunglhofer alleges the ads misrepresented her as endorsing Meete and seeking casual hookups, harming her reputation and putting her at risk of harassment. She seeks $750,000 in punitive damages and revenue tied to the ads. The allegations have not been established in court.
People
Vendors
Guangzhou Yuedong Interconnection TechnologyThe lawsuit names Quantum Communications Development Unlimited, Starpool Data Limited, and Guangzhou Yuedong Interconnection Technology as defendants.Quantum Communications Development UnlimitedThe lawsuit names Quantum Communications Development Unlimited, Starpool Data Limited, and Guangzhou Yuedong Interconnection Technology as defendants.Starpool Data LimitedThe lawsuit names Quantum Communications Development Unlimited, Starpool Data Limited, and Guangzhou Yuedong Interconnection Technology as defendants.
Products
MeeteA 19-year-old woman, Kaelyn Lunglhofer, alleges the dating app Meete took a TikTok video of her without consent, edited it with a voiceover into an advertisement, and used geofencing to target the ad to people near her,Snapchat#Meete #SnapchatTikTokA 19-year-old woman, Kaelyn Lunglhofer, alleges the dating app Meete took a TikTok video of her without consent, edited it with a voiceover into an advertisement, and used geofencing to target the ad to people near her,