Feud With Local Bar Over Ai Usage Resulted In Bar Using My Name And Picture In Disparaging, Ai-generated Marketing Materials Shared With Over 30,000 People.

Location: Wisconsin, United States of America

I have been lightly debating a local (Wisconsin, USA) bar because they've been posting AI-generated burgers and such to a local Facebook group. To "protest", I've been sad reacting the posts when they appear on my feed. The bar made a frowny-face caricature meant to represent me, but did not refer to me by name or use my picture.

Yesterday, they made an advertising post to a local group with ~30,000 people using my Facebook profile photo multiple times poking fun of "what I missed" at their bar.

When I reported it to Facebook, it automatically hid the post, so I clicked "Undo" not realizing it would follow the page again.

Today, in reaction to me "following" their page, they've now made two additional posts featuring my full name and AI-generated depictions of me using my Facebook profile photo.

Because of this continued trend, I sent a cease and desist via certified mail & digitally demanding that the image be taken down as I did not consent to my likeness being used in this manner. Their reply was that they will leave me alone if I don't react to their posts anymore, but this does not address my concern of removing the posts with AI-modified depictions of me, my name, and profile photo.

I believe this is in violation of Wisconsin Statute 995.59 0 Right of privacy, as they are using my picture and name in their marketing materials without my consent.

I want them to remove the images of me, and preferably their caricatures of me now that the caricature has been linked to my actual name and photo.

On a personal note, I feel immensely violated by this use of my photo and it is rather disturbing that this all happened over "Sad" reactions on Facebook and general discourse about disliking AI-generated imagery.

Could anyone chime in and provide some advice? As well as resources for what I can do?