She became a prominent advocate for mental health following a battle with depression and several suicide attempts, co-founding the suicide prevention group Voices of Hope in 2016.
Her content is intended to help people who are struggling with self-harm and depression, and, as a survivor of sexual abuse, she is disturbed it is instead being pushed out to porn-addicted men.
“To know they are using videos of me to advertise a porn addiction service, without my knowledge or consent, is horrific,” Thornton said.
Thornton said it was “insane” that a paid internet service was “using a young female, who has been a victim of sexual violence at the hands of men”.
Branding itself as a free, faith-based app helping men “overcome lust and reclaim their faith” through Christian strategies, Unchaind was first launched in February this year.
Searches on Meta’s ad library show the app is not running its targeted ads in New Zealand, a choice Thornton suspects is quite “purposeful”.
Her research has led her to believe the developers are actually based in France, despite listing the app’s headquarters as an address in Massachusetts.
If this is true, Thornton said she will have to retain a French lawyer to take any legal action about the use of her content.
“I would love to see New Zealand step up their game in protecting their people, especially if they are stuck in this spot I am in on being hand-tied by a different country.”
With seemingly limited avenues left to intervene, she has asked users who come across the ads to report them and report the app.
The creators of Unchaind have been approached for comment.
