Suniel Shetty gets interim protection against deepfake misuse, false endorsements
What's the story
The Bombay High Court has granted actor Suniel Shetty urgent interim protection against the misuse of his persona through false endorsements, counterfeit merchandise, and AI-generated deepfakes. The court observed that such actions violate his fundamental rights to privacy and dignity. Justice Arif S Doctor noted that the material presented in the case could seriously harm Shetty's personality rights.
Case details
Infringing material can damage actor's reputation: CourtÂ
The court agreed that the infringing material not only damaged Shetty's reputation but could also mislead the public. "The unauthorized creation/uploading of deepfake images of the Plaintiff on social media platforms constitutes a grave infringement not only of his personality rights but also of his right to live with dignity," Justice Doctor said.
Legal proceedings
John Doe order granted
The court also granted Shetty's request for a John Doe order, an injunction against unidentified individuals involved in the violation. "Given the clandestine and continuing nature of these activities and the ongoing harm, the Plaintiff has correctly impleaded Defendant No. 1, 'John Doe/Ashok Kumar,' to represent the entire class of such unknown persons whose identities cannot be presently ascertained," the court stated.
Content removal
Defendants restrained from using Shetty's persona in any manner
The order restrains multiple defendants from using Shetty's persona in any way, including through AI-generated content, deepfakes, merchandise, or cloned audio. Meta Platforms and X Corp have been directed to remove infringing content within a week and provide subscriber details of the uploaders when requested by Shetty. The matter is scheduled for the next hearing on November 17.
Actor's request
Shetty approached court seeking protection of personality rights
The order came after Shetty recently moved the court for protection of his personality rights, privacy, and dignity under Article 21 of the Constitution. His plea highlighted his successful career spanning over three decades, over 100 films, brand endorsements, and a social media following of over 13 million users. Senior Advocate Dr. Birendra Saraf argued that Shetty's name, likeness, image, voice, and mannerisms were being misused through deepfakes and unauthorized advertisements.
Additional request
Respite sought against unauthorized use of images
Additionally, in a related plea, Shetty sought orders to restrain websites and online pages from using his photographs for commercial purposes without authorization. He said that several pages had used his and even his grandchild's images to promote businesses, including a real estate agency and a gambling website. Justice Doctor heard the submissions briefly and reserved the order on that plea.
Other cases
Similar pleas filed by other celebrities in recent days
The Delhi High Court has seen numerous petitions from Bollywood celebrities recently. Aishwarya Rai Bachchan first approached the court after her lawyers flagged unauthorized use of her name and photographs on T-shirts, mugs, and posters. Soon after, Abhishek Bachchan also moved court, pointing out that his images were being misused online in a way that could harm both his reputation and commercial interests. Most recently, director-producer Karan Johar filed a similar plea.