The Delhi High Court has directed Meta Platforms Inc to immediately block/remove/take down all deepfake videos of India TV Chairman Rajat Sharma, created through Artificial Information (AI) technology, and posted on Facebook, for promoting sale of spurious medicines for treating diabetes/prostatitis/joint pain with immediate effect.
The High Court also directed Meta Platforms Inc to disclose names, address, e-mail and phone numbers of these Facebook users available with it.
In his detailed order, Justice Amit Bansal directed the Department of Telecommunications and MEITY (Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology) “to issue necessary notifications/directions to all telecom and internet service providers to block/suspend such websites, telephone numbers, social media accounts, channels and platforms, that may subsequently be notified on affidavit by the plaintiff for infringing exclusive rights.”
The matter will now be heard on April 3, 2025.
In his petition, filed through Senior Advocate Saikrishna Rajagopal, India TV Chairman and Editor-in-Chief Rajat Sharma submitted eight Facebook links, and contended that these Facebook users “are perpetuating gross misinformation through wrongful use of AI technology for creation of doctored videos, bearing distorted, modified and modulated images and voice and other personality traits” of him. It said, these Facebook users wanted to “promote purported drugs for diabetes/ prostatitis/ joint pain alleged to have been formulated by certain eminent doctors or certified by the government, or as alleged health tips, along with other eminent persons such as Amitabh Bachchan and Dr. Naresh Trehan, thereby resulting in gross violation of the personality and publicity rights”.
The petition also submitted that these Facebook users were “unauthorizedly using and infringing registered trademarks of India TV logos and Rajat Sharma’s show Aaj Ki Baat logos, “resulting in infringement of registered trademarks and copyright in cinematographic films.”
The petition said, “any false endorsement and misattribution purporting that the plaintiff (Rajat Sharma) endorses fraudulent remedies for serious health concerns, such as diabetes and joint pain, constitute a grave misuse of his personality rights. The misuse of his reputation in this context amplifies the potential harm, as the general public may be misled into purchasing ineffective or harmful products under the false assumption of credibility and endorsement. Unlike other celebrities, whose association with commercial products might predominantly involve lifestyle or luxury goods, the plaintiff’s (Rajat Sharma’s) professional standing as a journalist entails a heightened sense of accountability and trustworthiness.”
In his order, Justice Amit Bansal said, “such individuals or entities have been engaging in infringing the plaintiffs’ intellectual property rights, and are restrained from using the registered trademarks of the plaintiff (India TV) for misappropriating, tarnishing and diluting the goodwill and reputation of the plaintiffs”.