I want to make a clear, straightforward statement about a situation that has affected me and my family: a photo I took while traveling in Iceland has been taken and used as the profile image for a TikTok account using the handle @joyceandlove. I did not give permission for that image to be used, and I am not affiliated with that account in any way.

The account in question appears to be private and has only a small number of followers, but the content connected to it has spread far beyond that. TikTok’s duet and reply features allow users to create videos that respond to comments. Some of those videos have used my image alongside hateful and racist comments posted by the @joyceandlove account. While the account itself is small, several of these replying videos have gained thousands of views and hundreds or thousands of comments, exposing my likeness to a much wider audience.

To be specific about what I have done: I have contacted the creators of videos that use my photo and requested that they remove those posts. I have also reported the unauthorized use of my image to TikTok as an intellectual property violation. I will continue to pursue these channels to have the image removed from any accounts that are misusing it.

Despite those efforts, I have been personally attacked online. Some people have suggested that I should be the one to remove the videos or that it is my responsibility for the clips remaining public. That is not accurate. I have taken proactive steps to contact creators and to report the issue to the platform that hosts the content. Still, strangers have left hurtful comments on my social media accounts, including messages on photos of Gwen. Receiving harassment in places where I should feel safe has been extremely upsetting.

I am writing this so there is no confusion: I am not the person behind the @joyceandlove account, I did not authorize the use of my photo as a profile image, and I categorically reject the hateful language being spread under that account. I am appalled by the racist comments associated with it and do not support them in any way.

What I’ve Experienced

The emotional impact of seeing your image used in that context is real. Beyond the practical concern of having intellectual property misused, there is the distress of being linked publicly with hateful speech you do not endorse. It feels invasive when strangers assume a connection, send rude messages, or tag you in content that associates your likeness with harmful opinions.

Actions I’ve Taken and Next Steps

• Directly messaged creators who posted videos using the image and asked politely for removal.
• Filed reports with TikTok citing unauthorized use of my photo and requesting review and removal under intellectual property and harassment policies.
• Monitored the situation and followed up where necessary, while documenting the instances of misuse.

I will continue to follow up with the platform and with creators until the image is removed from accounts misusing it. If you have seen videos that use my photo alongside the comments from @joyceandlove, please understand that I appreciate the concern from people who alerted me—but I am actively addressing this.

A Note on Online Harassment and Image Misuse

If you are dealing with a similar situation, here are a few general steps that can help protect your image and reduce harm: report unauthorized image use to the platform, contact creators who repost the image to request removal, document the misuse, and avoid engaging directly with harassers in ways that escalate the situation. Each platform has its own reporting process, and persistence is often necessary to get results.

Finally, I want to thank the many people who reached out to offer support and advice. Your messages have been meaningful on a difficult day. I hope this post clarifies my position: I am not responsible for the @joyceandlove account, I find the account’s language abhorrent, and I am taking steps to have the image removed and to address the harassment.