Bethenny Frankel Sues TikTok!
Former Real Housewives of New York star, Bethenny Frankel, is suing TikTok for allowing scammers to use one of her videos to push their products.
As per court documents, Frankel filed the suit against TikTok after she was made aware of a video of hers that had been edited to push a fake product. A few of her 950,000 followers on the app sent her a video of herself that had been edited to suit the scammer. The documents stated that the scammer took a video of hers where she was talking about a cardigan she had on and edited the piece of clothing to look like a counterfeit one. Since Bethenny is a trusted fashion influencer on the platform, some people had concluded she was a “sell-out” for promoting counterfeit clothes.
After Bethenny became aware of the fake video making its rounds, she claims in the court documents, that she made her a warning video. The Skinnygirl founder said that she informed her followers about the “unauthorized and illegal use of her persona to sell counterfeit goods,” but TikTok deleted the video under claims that it was abusive. Despite this claim, Bethenny posted three other videos on September 18 where she spoke about the scam. “This is something that has to be addressed because it’s a breeding ground for scams. What if this really really damaged my image? Because a lot of people are feeling like, ‘oh she sold out.’”
@bethennyfrankel Consumers & creators are being exploited with no recourse or power to defend & protect themselves. That ends now. My demands for us are correct & just…@Morgan & Morgan @We are a newspaper. BBethennyContentClauseSocialMediaScam
The reality star continued in another video, “These people are garbage, scumbag scoundrel scammers stealing, and their products are garbage and don’t buy them. As per the court filing, Bethenny is seeking compensation for damages done to her reputation after it “suffered significant injury and irreparable harm.” The Real Housewives of New York alum is also requesting TikTok to change its advertising policy which, according to her, doesn’t police these kinds of ads. The lawsuit also stated that influencers like Bethenny Frankel “constantly monitor for and police any unauthorized use of their name, portrait, picture, and voice to ensure that counterfeiters and other unauthorized parties do not peddle counterfeited and other unauthorized products using their personas, voices, content, or likenesses.”
Bethenny advised influencers to speak up for themselves on an Instagram post on Thursday while speaking about her lawsuit against TikTok. “I have a voice. It’s my right and responsibility to use it and to encourage others to constructively do so as well…My demand for myself, for creators and consumers is correct and just…and I won’t stop until myself, my community and our children are protected.”
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