Recently, the Delhi High Court has passed an order to protect the personality and publicity rights of Bollywood actor Arjun Kapoor. The court has stopped several people and companies from using the actor’s name, image, or voice without his permission for any commercial or harmful activities.
The case was filed by Arjun Kapoor after he discovered that his identity was being misused in multiple ways. Some businesses were selling items like T-shirts and mugs with his face on them without any legal agreement. There were also reports of fake event bookings where people were being cheated in his name. However, the most serious concern was the creation of AI generated deepfake videos that were offensive and inappropriate.
Justice Tushar Rao Gedela, who heard the matter, ruled in favor of the actor. The judge observed that a celebrity spends many years of hard work to build their reputation. Therefore, no one else should be allowed to profit from their name or likeness without their consent. The court also mentioned that using AI to create vulgar or obscene content of an individual is a major violation of their rights.
As a result of this case, social media giants like Google and Meta have been ordered to take down any such offensive content immediately. They are also required to provide details about the accounts that were posting these videos or selling fake products.
This decision is seen as a big step in protecting the digital identity of celebrities. It sends a clear message that using technology to target or exploit someone’s personality will have serious legal consequences.
