Keanu Reeves Pays to Remove TikTok, Meta Imitators

Reports suggest John Wick star Keanu Reeves pays a firm several thousand dollars monthly to have impersonator accounts removed from TikTok and Meta.

A detailed Hollywood Reporter article disclosed that Reeves employs a company named Loti to file tens of thousands of social media takedown requests annually.

According to THR, the beloved "you're breathtaking!" actor from The Matrix and Cyberpunk 2077 is likely the most impersonated celebrity online, fueled by his superstar profile and absence from official social media, which shrouds his private life in mystery.

Scammers exploit this void by fabricating images of Reeves delivering various political statements, promoting dubious products, and, in severe instances, establishing fake profiles that groom victims into sending money. Reeves appears to be a top target for such schemes, with generative AI making the deceptions more accessible and persuasive.

Reeves is not the only victim, of course. Numerous celebrities have publicly denounced fake advertisements. In 2023, Tom Hanks alerted followers that an AI version of his likeness was used without permission in an online dental plan ad. Last year, Morgan Freeman expressed gratitude to fans who identified AI-generated voice clones of him after viral videos from a purported niece.

This May, Jamie Lee Curtis made a direct appeal to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg via Instagram after failing to stop an AI-generated ad misusing her image for, in her words, "some bullshit that I didn't authorize, agree to, or endorse."

Alexandra Shannon, CAA's head of strategic development, told THR that artist concern over this issue is growing, emphasizing the need for rules and regulations to curb the practice.