AI microdrama in China used real faces without consent
Two people in China discovered their likenesses used without consent in an AI-generated microdrama that ran on ByteDance's Hongguo app, portraying them in unflattering roles. The platform removed the series after the victims publicly spoke out, citing producer violations of platform rules.
What happened
The AI-generated microdrama 'The Peach Blossom Hairpin' ran on Hongguo, a major microdrama app owned by ByteDance, using the likenesses of two people without their consent. Christine Li, a 26-year-old model and influencer from Hangzhou, discovered her likeness had been used to portray a cruel character shown slapping women and mistreating animals, using specific photos she had posted on social media two years prior.
A man, a stylist specialised in traditional Chinese clothing who uses the pseudonym Baicai, also found his likeness cast without consent as an antagonist character in the same show. The series became popular last month before Hongguo removed it after the producers violated platform rules and contractual obligations.
Reported impact
Li said she felt bewildered, angry and afraid when discovering her likeness in the show, stating "I was genuinely shocked. It was clearly me" and expressing concern about the portrayal of her character's actions. She plans to sue the drama makers and the platform.
Baicai expressed upset about the "ugly" portrayal of his likeness as a "sleazy" antagonist, questioning "Will it have an impact on me, on my job, on my future work opportunities?"
Index analysis
The incident highlights legal and regulatory grey areas created by artificial intelligence, as AI's ability to mimic real people has sparked global concern for actors' jobs and over deepfakes being used for scams and propaganda. The series kept running for days after the victims' public outcry about AI ethics, with the disputed characters quietly replaced before removal.
Governance controls
Hongguo stated in early April that it had taken the series down because the producers had violated platform rules and contractual obligations.
Classification
Sources and evidence
This record was researched and written by the Index, based on the following original reporting.