The popular social media platform TikTok has illegally used and profited from the voice of a professional Canadian voice-over artist, a civil lawsuit filed in the United States alleges.

In her untested statement of claim, Beverly (Bev) Standing is seeking unspecified damages and a permanent injunction against the short-form video site for what she alleges is the unauthorized use of her voice and lack of compensation.

Standing, of Welland, Ont., alleges she found out in November that TikTok was using her vocals for its female computer-generated voice. Among other things, she says some of the TikTok videos contained foul and offensive language.

B次元官网网址淚 get paid to speak. I get paid to represent brands,B次元官网网址� Standing said in an interview on Thursday. B次元官网网址淏y having my text-to-speech voice on TikTok B次元官网网址� which I was not hired to do B次元官网网址� it can be detrimental to my actual career.B次元官网网址�

Standing, who said she has hundreds of commercial clients in radio, television and the corporate world, said she wants to be acknowledged for her work. But she said she also has a larger purpose with the suit.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 really important for voice talent, clients and creatives to understand that you canB次元官网网址檛 B次元官网网址� just use someoneB次元官网网址檚 voice without permission,B次元官网网址� she said. B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 do it in the music world, you canB次元官网网址檛 do it in the art world, and you shouldnB次元官网网址檛 be able to do it in the voice world.B次元官网网址�

Delaware-based ByteDance, the corporate entity that controls TikTok and which is named as a defendant, did not respond to a request for comment. It has yet to file a statement of defence.

The suit filed this month in U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, says StandingB次元官网网址檚 voice and likeness are well known in the U.S. and elsewhere. She claims she has suffered B次元官网网址渟ignificant injury and irreparable harmB次元官网网址� as a result of the alleged unauthorized use.

B次元官网网址淧laintiff has invested substantial effort in preserving, protecting, and honing her reputation, and has amassed substantial goodwill,B次元官网网址� her claim states. B次元官网网址淏y misappropriating plaintiffB次元官网网址檚 voice and likeness, defendants have not only traded on plaintiffB次元官网网址檚 earned goodwill, but are also depriving the defendant of the ability to control her reputation.B次元官网网址�

TikTok, she alleges, has created the B次元官网网址渇alse and misleading representationB次元官网网址� that she endorses various products and services when, in fact, she has not done so.

B次元官网网址淒efendantsB次元官网网址� conduct, as described above, was deliberate and wilful, has created and will create a likelihood of confusion, mistake, and deception,B次元官网网址� she argues. B次元官网网址淒efendants have engaged in such acts intentionally or with reckless disregard for whether the public is confused and deceived.B次元官网网址�

The claim requests a hearing by a jury which would, if it agreed with her, decide on an appropriate damages award.

Standing said she has had strong support from the voice-over community in taking on TikTok.

B次元官网网址淚 havenB次元官网网址檛 got any work done,B次元官网网址� she said. ItB次元官网网址檚 been absolutely overwhelming.B次元官网网址�

Like us on and follow us on .

Want to support local journalism? Make a donation