Can I Mention Other Brands in My Content?

Yes, for comparison purposes. If you're promoting your own brand of sneakers and you want to compare them to Nike or Adidas, that's generally fine. You're not claiming to be those brands. You're helping customers understand where your product fits in the market.

Can I Show Products With Visible Logos?

If you're promoting a specific branded product, showing its logo is expected. If you're promoting something unrelated and a brand logo happens to be visible in the background, that's riskier. Best practice is to keep your background clean of visible brand trademarks unless they're directly relevant to what you're promoting.

What About Generic Products That Look Like Branded Ones?

This is the knockoff question. If a product deliberately mimics the design of a branded product even without using the logo it's probably a knockoff. And knockoffs aren't allowed. When in doubt, don't promote it.

Intellectual Property and Counterfeit Products on TikTok Shop

March 2, 2026

By Editorial

Why Intellectual Property Matters for Creators

Here’s something a lot of TikTok Shop creators don’t realize until it’s too late. You can follow every product accuracy rule, create perfectly original content, and still get in trouble because of intellectual property issues.

The thing is, IP violations aren’t always obvious. You might think that having a famous logo in the background is harmless. Or that saying a product is “inspired by” a luxury brand is just good marketing. But both of these can get your content removed or your account restricted.

Let me break down exactly what you need to watch out for.

Counterfeits vs. Knockoffs: What’s the Difference?

TikTok makes a clear distinction between counterfeits and knockoffs. Understanding the difference helps you spot problem products before you promote them.

Counterfeits are unauthorized copies of actual branded products. They use the brand’s trademarks logos, slogans, symbols, designs, or patterns.

If someone is selling a bag with the actual Gucci logo but they’re not authorized by Gucci, that’s a counterfeit.

Knockoffs are products that look similar to branded products but aren’t exact copies. They might copy the design, the feel, the look, or certain features. No logos, but everything about it screams “this is trying to be that luxury brand.”

Here’s the important part. Neither is allowed. Not even products that are 50 to 60 percent similar to a branded product are okay to promote.

Real Examples of IP Violations

Sometimes examples make the rules click better than explanations. Here are actual scenarios from TikTok’s guidelines.

These Will Get You in Trouble

The Celebrity Endorsement Problem
You’re promoting a skincare product and you say “This is what [famous actor] uses every morning.” Except you’ve never actually talked to that actor.

You don’t have their permission. You just thought it would help sell product. This is a violation of their right of publicity.

The T-Shirt with the Athlete
You found this really cool t-shirt that has a famous basketball player’s name and face on it. You want to promote it.

But unless you’re officially licensed by that athlete or their representation, promoting merchandise with their likeness is an IP violation.

The Fast Food Background
You’re livestreaming from your kitchen. Behind you, there’s a McDonald’s logo on a cup sitting on the counter. You’re not promoting McDonald’s, but that logo is visible throughout your stream.

Using a brand’s trademark without permission is a problem even if it’s just background decoration.

The Customer Review Screenshot
A customer left you an amazing review. You want to screenshot it and use it in your next video to build trust. But here’s the thing. That review contains their name and possibly their photo.

Using someone’s name or image to promote products without their permission is an IP violation.

The Logo in the Background While Promoting
You’re promoting a generic phone case. Behind the phone case, you’ve placed a laptop with a clearly visible Apple logo. The logo has nothing to do with your product, but it’s there, suggesting some connection to Apple. Not allowed.

The Pirated Games Console
You’re promoting an unbranded game console. Looks like a great deal. But when you test it, you realize it comes loaded with pirated video games. Promoting products that enable copyright infringement puts you at risk too.

What’s Actually Allowed

Compatibility Mentions
You’re selling charging cables. Saying “works with iPhone and Samsung devices” is fine. You’re not claiming to be Apple or Samsung.

You’re just telling customers what your product works with.

Fair Comparisons
You’re promoting your own skincare line. Comparing it to an established brand saying “similar results to Brand X at half the price” is generally okay. You’re comparing, not copying.

Educational Content
You’re reviewing products and explaining why certain knockoffs are problematic. Educational content that helps viewers understand IP issues is valuable.

How to Spot Products You Shouldn’t Promote

Before you agree to promote a product, run through this checklist. It could save you from promoting something that violates IP rules.

Check the Product’s Design and Feel

Does this product look suspiciously similar to something from a well-known brand? Not just the same category, but the same design language, the same distinctive features, the same overall look and feel?

If you find yourself thinking “this looks just like that expensive brand,” that’s a red flag.

Look at the Branding

Check the product itself and its packaging. Are there logos, trademarks, or brand names? If there are, ask the seller if they have authorization to sell products with those trademarks.

If they can’t show you proof of authorization, don’t promote the product.

Compare the Price

How does the price compare to similar products on the market? If it’s significantly lower than the same or similar products, that’s worth questioning.

Sometimes great deals are just great deals. But sometimes a price that seems too good to be true means you’re looking at counterfeit goods.

If you suspect a product might be counterfeit, report it to TikTok instead of promoting it.

Brand Name Red Flags in Listings

Sometimes the product listing itself tells you something’s wrong. Watch for these signs.

Misspelled or Altered Brand Names

Counterfeiters often try to skirt trademark laws by slightly changing brand names. Look for:

Shortened brand names
Misspelled brand names
Brand names with spaces added or removed (like “Nike” becoming “Ni ke“)
Repeated characters
Letters replaced with numbers or symbols

If a listing says “Luis Vutton” instead of “Louis Vuitton,” that’s not a typo. That’s a red flag.

Suspicious Descriptive Terms

Product listings that emphasize how closely they resemble branded products are problematic. Watch for phrases like:

“Inspired by X brand”
“Similar to”
“As good as”
“Same features as”
“It works the same as”
“Duplicate of”
“Smells like”

These phrases tell you the seller is trading on another brand’s reputation.

Even More Obvious Red Flags

Some terms are even more direct red flags. If you see any of these in a product listing, walk away:

Replica
Forged
Mirror
Copy
Alike
Duplicate
Dupe
Clone
Like the original
As the original
Imitation
High imitation
1:1
Mirror quality
Factory leakage

“Lushentic grade” is a particularly common one in the fashion space. All of these are telling you the product is not authentic.

Hashtags and Brand Names

Here’s something that trips up a lot of creators. Using brand names in your hashtags to get more views.

If you’re promoting a generic handbag and you add “#Gucci” to your hashtags, that’s a violation. You’re using their trademark to drive traffic to your content.

The same goes for any brand name. Even if you’re not claiming the product is from that brand, using their name in hashtags is a problem.

What to Do When You Receive a Product to Promote

When a seller sends you a product, take a few minutes to evaluate it before creating content.

First, look at the overall design. Does anything feel off about it?

Second, check for trademarks on the product and packaging. If you see brand names or logos, ask the seller about authorization.

Third, look up similar products online. How does the price compare? How does the design compare?

Fourth, read the product listing carefully. Look for the red flag phrases I mentioned above.

If something feels wrong, trust that feeling. It’s better to pass on one promotion than to risk your entire account.

Frequently Confused Situations

Can I Mention Other Brands in My Content?
Yes, for comparison purposes. If you’re promoting your own brand of sneakers and you want to compare them to Nike or Adidas, that’s generally fine. You’re not claiming to be those brands. You’re helping customers understand where your product fits in the market.
Can I Show Products With Visible Logos?
If you’re promoting a specific branded product, showing its logo is expected. If you’re promoting something unrelated and a brand logo happens to be visible in the background, that’s riskier. Best practice is to keep your background clean of visible brand trademarks unless they’re directly relevant to what you’re promoting.
What About Generic Products That Look Like Branded Ones?
This is the knockoff question. If a product deliberately mimics the design of a branded product even without using the logo it’s probably a knockoff. And knockoffs aren’t allowed. When in doubt, don’t promote it.

Why This Matters for Your Account

IP violations aren’t minor issues. TikTok enforces these rules seriously for a few reasons.

First, they have legal obligations to trademark and copyright holders. Allowing widespread IP violations puts the platform at risk.

Second, counterfeit and knockoff products create bad customer experiences. Customers who unknowingly buy fakes are unhappy customers.

Third, your reputation as a creator matters. If you become known for promoting knockoffs, viewers stop trusting you. Brands stop wanting to work with you.

Protecting your account means being careful about what you promote.

Your IP Protection Checklist

Before posting any promotional content, ask yourself:

☐ Does this product use someone else’s trademark without authorization?
☐ Am I using a celebrity or public figure’s name or image without permission?
☐ Are there brand logos in my video that aren’t relevant to what I’m promoting?
☐ Does the product listing use phrases like “inspired by” or “similar to” a famous brand?
☐ Is the price suspiciously low compared to similar products?
☐ Does the product look like a knockoff of a well-known design?
☐ Am I using brand names in hashtags to get more views?
☐ Did I get permission before sharing someone’s review or content?

If you answer yes to any of these, pause and reconsider.

What to Do If Someone Uses Your Content Without Permission

TikTok has an Intellectual Property Protection Center (IPPC) platform where you can report content that uses your work without permission. If you find other creators reposting your videos or using your content, you’re welcome to report it through that system.

Keep records of your original content. Dates, files, anything that proves you created it first. This makes reporting easier if you need to do it.