Student sues matchmaking app for allegedly stealing her likeness for an ad

Source: Mashable Tech

Background

A 19‑year‑old University of Tennessee freshman is suing the makers of a social matchmaking app after the company allegedly lifted a video from her TikTok page and used it — without her knowledge or consent — in an advertisement suggesting she was looking for casual sexual encounters. The ad was reportedly targeted at men living in her own dormitory.

Lawsuit Details

Kaelyn Lunglhofer filed the lawsuit on April 28 in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee against Quantum Communications Development Limited, a British Virgin Islands‑based company, and its Chinese affiliates. The defendants own and operate a social media and messaging app called Meete. According to the complaint, Meete claims to have 17 million users worldwide (source).

Alleged Advertisement

The complaint states that Lunglhofer posted a video to her public TikTok account on May 31, 2025 — the day of her high‑school graduation — showing off an orange outfit from her bedroom while music played in the background. Defendants allegedly extracted a 10‑second clip from that video and used it as the backdrop for a Meete advertisement that ran on platforms such as Snapchat.

The ad featured female narration stating:

“Are you looking for a friend with benefits? This app shows you women around you who are looking for some fun. You can video chat with them.”

Lunglhofer’s face was on screen, and the Meete logo was prominently displayed. According to the suit, Meete used geolocation technology to serve the ad specifically to male users within the Knoxville, Tennessee area, including men living on other floors of her on‑campus dormitory building. Lunglhofer learned of the ad after a male resident in her dorm alerted her, as reported in an interview with the local ABC affiliate, WKRN (video).

Legal Claims

The suit brings claims under:

• The federal Lanham Act (misleading commercial claims) (details)
• Tennessee’s right‑of‑publicity statute, known as the ELVIS Act (PDF)
• Tennessee common‑law defamation

Lunglhofer is seeking:

• Compensatory damages of $750,000
• Disgorgement of Meete’s profits tied to the ad campaign
• Punitive damages
• An injunction to have the ad removed entirely

Responses

Mashable reached out to Meete but did not receive a response in time for publication. The firm representing Lunglhofer had not yet responded to a request for comment.