A 19-year-old University of Tennessee student has filed a federal lawsuit against the operators of Meete, a social matchmaking application, alleging the company took a video she posted to TikTok without her consent, inserted it into a paid advertisement for the app, and used geotargeting technology to serve that advertisement to male users in close physical proximity to her, including men living in her dormitory.
The Complaint
Kaelyn Lunglhofer filed the suit on April 28 in the Eastern District of Tennessee. The complaint alleges that Meete’s operators took a 10-second clip from a TikTok video Lunglhofer posted on her high school graduation day in May 2025, overlaid it with Meete branding and a signup link, and added a voiceover 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 learned of the advertisement when a male student in her dormitory told her he had repeatedly seen her appear in Meete ads on Snapchat shortly after the two had met.
Geotargeting at Issue
Her attorney, Abe Pafford of McGuireWoods LLP, told CyberScoop that the precision of the ad targeting was not incidental. “I think the idea is they wanted viewers of these advertisements to have their eye caught by someone they may know or recognize or think they may have seen around, and that’s part of what makes it so disturbing,” he said.
Pafford also said he believes Lunglhofer is not the only person whose image Meete has misappropriated. “The bottom line is we think there are likely others that have been victimized in a similar way, but finding out who they are and landing on tangible proof of that can be challenging,” he said.
Legal Claims and Defendants
The lawsuit names Quantum Communications Development Limited, based in the British Virgin Islands, alongside Starpool Data Limited and Guangzhou Yuedong Interconnection Technology Co., Ltd.
The complaint cites violations of the Lanham Act, Tennessee’s ELVIS Act, and Tennessee common law claims for defamation and right of publicity. Lunglhofer is seeking a minimum of $750,000 in damages, plus disgorgement of revenues tied to the advertisement.
Snap told CyberScoop it is investigating. “Using someone’s likeness without their consent is a violation of our policies,” Snap spokesperson Ahrim Nam said.
Background
Lunglhofer had been building a TikTok following since arriving at the University of Tennessee in fall 2025, with brand sponsorship opportunities forming part of her content strategy. Her attorney said the advertisement damaged her online brand and created safety concerns by implying she was endorsing a local dating service and was open to casual encounters.
Nii A. Ahene is the founder and managing director of Net Influencer, a website dedicated to offering insights into the influencer marketing industry. Together with its newsletter, Influencer Weekly, Net Influencer provides news, commentary, and analysis of the events shaping the creator and influencer marketing space. Through interviews with startups, influencers, brands, and platforms, Nii and his team explore how influencer marketing is being effectively used to benefit businesses and personal brands alike.
A 19-year-old University of Tennessee student has filed a federal lawsuit against the operators of Meete, a social matchmaking application, alleging the company took a video she posted to TikTok without her consent, inserted it into a paid advertisement for the app, and used geotargeting technology to serve that advertisement to male users in close physical proximity to her, including men living in her dormitory.
The Complaint
Kaelyn Lunglhofer filed the suit on April 28 in the Eastern District of Tennessee. The complaint alleges that Meete’s operators took a 10-second clip from a TikTok video Lunglhofer posted on her high school graduation day in May 2025, overlaid it with Meete branding and a signup link, and added a voiceover 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 learned of the advertisement when a male student in her dormitory told her he had repeatedly seen her appear in Meete ads on Snapchat shortly after the two had met.
Geotargeting at Issue
Her attorney, Abe Pafford of McGuireWoods LLP, told CyberScoop that the precision of the ad targeting was not incidental. “I think the idea is they wanted viewers of these advertisements to have their eye caught by someone they may know or recognize or think they may have seen around, and that’s part of what makes it so disturbing,” he said.
Pafford also said he believes Lunglhofer is not the only person whose image Meete has misappropriated. “The bottom line is we think there are likely others that have been victimized in a similar way, but finding out who they are and landing on tangible proof of that can be challenging,” he said.
Legal Claims and Defendants
The lawsuit names Quantum Communications Development Limited, based in the British Virgin Islands, alongside Starpool Data Limited and Guangzhou Yuedong Interconnection Technology Co., Ltd.
The complaint cites violations of the Lanham Act, Tennessee’s ELVIS Act, and Tennessee common law claims for defamation and right of publicity. Lunglhofer is seeking a minimum of $750,000 in damages, plus disgorgement of revenues tied to the advertisement.
Snap told CyberScoop it is investigating. “Using someone’s likeness without their consent is a violation of our policies,” Snap spokesperson Ahrim Nam said.
Background
Lunglhofer had been building a TikTok following since arriving at the University of Tennessee in fall 2025, with brand sponsorship opportunities forming part of her content strategy. Her attorney said the advertisement damaged her online brand and created safety concerns by implying she was endorsing a local dating service and was open to casual encounters.
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