Priyanga, better known online as ‘Bandana Girl’, has spoken out after becoming the latest target of AI abuse. The young woman found unexpected fame after her two-second autorickshaw selfie video went viral, amassing tens of millions of views and becoming an overnight internet sensation.
However, the attention quickly turned to something darker. Following her sudden popularity, users have begun creating and distributing AI-generated videos and images using her face, many of which show scenarios she did not record or approve. One widely shared AI clip showed her driving an Audi, which she admitted was fake.
Bandana girl’s reaction
Disturbed by the rise in manipulated content, Priyanga launched X to set the record straight. She wrote in powerful words:
“This will be my last tweet for a while. There are a lot of Al-generated images and videos of me out there that I don’t consent to. It’s reaching many of the people I know and it’s having a big impact on me. Please stop feeding real people’s media into the Al app. This is a real-life outcome. Ask for consent before uploading anything to an AI platform.”
Check out her post below.
Priyanga’s X account is currently protected and her posts are only visible to verified followers.
About “Bandana Girl” whirlwind
It all started when a two-second selfie video posted by Indian user @w0rdgenerator unexpectedly took X by storm. In the clip, a young woman wearing a white ethnic costume, silver jewelry and a printed bandana looks at the camera while riding an autorickshaw. The video, which was shared three weeks ago with the caption “Makeup I ate today,” has been viewed more than 92 million times and is approaching 100 million views.
Identified as Priyanga, she quickly became a viral sensation, inspiring memes and editorials. With X’s revenue sharing program, many are now wondering if her massive engagement, especially the first 40 million views, will earn her a payout in the hundreds of thousands.
