The Delhi High Court has granted protection to the personality rights of Rajat Sharma, Chairman and Editor-in-Chief of India TV, directing the immediate removal of AI-generated and deepfake content that unlawfully misused his likeness and voice.
In his ruling, Justice Amit Bansal has restrained eight defendants, comprising individuals and entities, from using Sharma’s name, image, voice, photos, or videos for personal or commercial purposes without his explicit written consent. The court highlighted the risks posed by malicious AI-generated content, specifically videos falsely depicting Sharma endorsing health products, which could mislead the public and jeopardise public health.
The court underscored that the unauthorised use of Sharma’s persona to endorse fraudulent health claims posed a significant threat to public safety. Emphasising the gravity of the matter, the judge noted, “Considering the aforesaid, a prima facie case is made out in favour of the Plaintiffs and against the Defendants. Balance of convenience is also in favour of the Plaintiffs and against the Defendants. Irreparable injury would be caused to the Plaintiffs if the Defendants are allowed to continue posting the aforesaid infringing posts/video.”
In a significant aspect of the ruling, the court directed Meta Platforms to promptly block or remove any infringing content posted by the defendants, including AI-generated deepfakes or misleading videos. Additionally, the court granted Sharma and his legal team the authority to request the further removal of any new infringing material that may surface on these platforms.
“The Plaintiffs shall be at liberty to approach Defendant No. 9 (Meta) requesting them to block/take down any such post/video/text or any material, which is published on its platforms or utilising its platforms. They may file an affidavit to that effect before this Court,” the court stated.
The case emerged when deepfake technology was used to fabricate false endorsements and deceptive content in his name, leading to public confusion and harm to his reputation. The matter will be heard on April 3, 2025, for further proceedings.
