Voice artist Bev Standing sued TikTok to regain control over her voice, highlighting the importance of protecting one's reputation in the digital age.
TikTok's introduction of a new voice, Jessie, and the negative user reactions underscored the significance of voice in creating TikTok content.
Deep dives
Bev Standing's Voice Becomes the Default Voice of TikTok
Bev Standing, a voice artist, had recorded ten thousand sentences for a text-to-speech job with the Chinese Institute of Acoustics. However, she later discovered that her voice was being used by TikTok without her permission. Bev decided to file a lawsuit against TikTok to regain control over her voice, fearing it could negatively impact her reputation and job prospects. The lawsuit received significant attention, and within two weeks of filing, TikTok removed Bev's voice from their app.
Journey from TikTok's Voice to Legal Battle
The legal battle between Bev Standing and TikTok got publicized and garnered support from the voice acting community. Despite the overwhelming support, Bev decided not to accept financial help and fought the case on her own. The case concluded amicably, with TikTok removing Bev's voice from their app. Bev felt relieved and highlighted the importance of having a conversation rather than a lengthy legal battle. However, TikTok introduced a new voice named Jessie, which received mixed reactions from users.
The Mystery Surrounding Jessie's Voice
The identity of the voice artist behind Jessie, the new voice of TikTok, remains unknown. Speculations suggest that the artist could be the same person who voices commercials for the Grammarly app. However, TikTok's decision to not disclose any information about Jessie's voice has sparked curiosity and led to the creation of videos pretending to reveal the real voice artist. The negative reaction to Jessie, and the subsequent introduction of celebrity voices and deepfake options, highlighted the significance of voice in creating TikTok content.
In 2018, voiceover artist Bev Standing recorded 10,000 sentences for the Chinese Institute of Acoustics. Bev was told the recordings would be used for a translation app, but three years later, she was shocked to discover that she had become the default voice of TikTok in North America. On TikTok, Bev heard herself saying all kinds of wild and inappropriate things. So, she decided to sue. In this episode, Bev tells her story, and we hear from the voice who replaced her.