Indie publisher Finji says TikTok used generative AI to alter its ads without permission—including one that inserted a racist, sexualized stereotype of a character from Usual June. The studio, known for publishing titles like Night in the Woods and Tunic and developing Usual June and Overland, says the modified ads ran as if posted from its official account.
Finji CEO Rebekah Saltsman first raised the issue publicly, asking followers on Bluesky, "If you happen to see any Finji ads that look distinctly UN-Finji-like, send me a screencap."
Talking to IGN, Saltsman says that Finji has "AI turned all the way off" on its TikTok ad account. The team became aware of the issue only after users began commenting on its legitimate ads, questioning strange versions that didn't match the original video creatives. Viewers sent screenshots showing what appeared to be AI-generated variants. One image viewed by IGN shows an altered version of Usual June key art in which protagonist June is redrawn with exaggerated hips and thighs, a bikini bottom, and over-the-knee boots--imagery Saltsman says invokes a harmful stereotype.
In messages reviewed by IGN, a TikTok support agent confirmed Finji had both "Smart Creative" and "Automate Creative" turned off--features that use generative AI to remix or optimize ad assets. Despite that, support initially told Finji there was no evidence that the system added AI-generated content or auto-assembled slideshow assets.
After Finji re-sent the offensive screenshot and demanded escalation, TikTok replied, "We are no longer disputing whether this occurred," acknowledging "the unauthorized use of AI, the sexualization and misrepresentation of your characters," and promising an internal review.
Days later, however, TikTok support offered a different explanation, saying Finji had been included in "a broader automated initiative" tied to a catalog ads format designed to boost performance, claiming campaigns using mixed assets see a "1.4x ROAS lift" (return on ad spend). The company offered to request that Finji be added to an opt-out blocklist, though approval wasn't guaranteed. When Finji asked why it had been opted in without consent and why it couldn't reliably opt out, support responded that the current representative was "the highest internal team available" and that "final findings and actions" had already been provided.
Saltsman called the response baffling. "It's one thing to have an algorithm that's racist and sexist, and another thing to use AI to churn content of your paying business partners … and then to also NOT respond to any of those mistakes in a coherent way? Really?"
She added: "This is my work, my team's work, and mine and my company's reputation--which I have spent over a decade building ... here's the real fun thing about all of this---you, who paid for and made representative ads for your work, will never see what they've done to your work. But your audience will. And maybe someone in that audience will be brave enough to reach out to let you in on what tf is going on."
Finji says it has received no further updates despite additional follow-ups, and TikTok declined to comment on the record.
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Finji CEO Rebekah Saltsman first raised the issue publicly, asking followers on Bluesky, "If you happen to see any Finji ads that look distinctly UN-Finji-like, send me a screencap."
Talking to IGN, Saltsman says that Finji has "AI turned all the way off" on its TikTok ad account. The team became aware of the issue only after users began commenting on its legitimate ads, questioning strange versions that didn't match the original video creatives. Viewers sent screenshots showing what appeared to be AI-generated variants. One image viewed by IGN shows an altered version of Usual June key art in which protagonist June is redrawn with exaggerated hips and thighs, a bikini bottom, and over-the-knee boots--imagery Saltsman says invokes a harmful stereotype.
In messages reviewed by IGN, a TikTok support agent confirmed Finji had both "Smart Creative" and "Automate Creative" turned off--features that use generative AI to remix or optimize ad assets. Despite that, support initially told Finji there was no evidence that the system added AI-generated content or auto-assembled slideshow assets.
After Finji re-sent the offensive screenshot and demanded escalation, TikTok replied, "We are no longer disputing whether this occurred," acknowledging "the unauthorized use of AI, the sexualization and misrepresentation of your characters," and promising an internal review.
Days later, however, TikTok support offered a different explanation, saying Finji had been included in "a broader automated initiative" tied to a catalog ads format designed to boost performance, claiming campaigns using mixed assets see a "1.4x ROAS lift" (return on ad spend). The company offered to request that Finji be added to an opt-out blocklist, though approval wasn't guaranteed. When Finji asked why it had been opted in without consent and why it couldn't reliably opt out, support responded that the current representative was "the highest internal team available" and that "final findings and actions" had already been provided.
Saltsman called the response baffling. "It's one thing to have an algorithm that's racist and sexist, and another thing to use AI to churn content of your paying business partners … and then to also NOT respond to any of those mistakes in a coherent way? Really?"
She added: "This is my work, my team's work, and mine and my company's reputation--which I have spent over a decade building ... here's the real fun thing about all of this---you, who paid for and made representative ads for your work, will never see what they've done to your work. But your audience will. And maybe someone in that audience will be brave enough to reach out to let you in on what tf is going on."
Finji says it has received no further updates despite additional follow-ups, and TikTok declined to comment on the record.
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