TikTok Model Accuses Brand Of Likeness Theft

In 2026, TikTok creator vanellimelli030 (Mel) posted that a fashion company used her likeness to produce an AI-generated advertisement without consent. Mel says the ad replicated her mullet and facial features, and the brand remains unnamed in her video. The incident underscores gaps in generative-AI regulation and raises questions about consent and image-rights enforcement.