Court Orders Online Platforms to Remove Deepfake Content Impersonating Dr. Aniruddha Dhairyadhar Joshi, Ensuring Compliance and Disclosure of Infringers
In a significant ruling, the Delhi High Court has granted an ex-parte ad-interim injunction in favor of Dr. Aniruddha Dhairyadhar Joshi, a renowned spiritual leader, against the unauthorized use of his personality and publicity rights. The judgment, delivered by Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, addresses the misuse of Dr. Joshi’s persona through AI-generated deepfake content, which has been used to mislead the public.
Dr. Joshi, acclaimed for his spiritual discourses and humanitarian efforts, asserted that his name, voice, image, and other identifiable attributes were being unlawfully manipulated and disseminated online. The court recognized these actions as violations of his personality rights and intellectual property rights, leading to irreparable harm to his reputation and credibility.
The court's order includes comprehensive directions aimed at curbing such infringements. Notably, it restrains John Doe defendants and their affiliates from exploiting Dr. Joshi’s attributes for commercial or personal gain without his consent. Furthermore, online platforms such as Google, Meta Platforms, and X (formerly Twitter) are mandated to promptly remove infringing content from their sites.
The judgment also compels these platforms to disclose subscriber information related to the infringing content. This disclosure is crucial for identifying and potentially taking further legal action against the perpetrators of these unauthorized acts. The court emphasized the balance of convenience in favor of Dr. Joshi, noting that his well-established personality and the potential damage to his image warranted immediate judicial intervention.
The case underscores the growing concerns over the misuse of AI technologies for creating deepfake content, which poses significant threats to individual privacy and rights. As digital platforms continue to evolve, the judgment sets a precedent for protecting personality rights against such technological abuses.
Bottom Line:
Recognition and protection of personality rights and publicity rights, including against unauthorized use, manipulation, and dissemination of deepfake content and AI-generated impersonations.
Statutory provision(s): Order XI Rules 1, 3 and 5, Order XXXIX Rules 1 & 2 of the Code of Civil Procedure, 1908, Section 151 of the CPC, Commercial Courts Act, 2015, Article 21 and Article 19(1)(a) of the Constitution of India, Section 80(2) of CPC, Section 12A of the Commercial Courts Act, 2015.
Dr Aniruddha Dhairyadhar Joshi v. John Does Ashok Kumars, (Delhi) : Law Finder Doc id # 2860523
