Preity Zinta moves to Bombay High Court against her AI generated deepfake videos, morphed…

In July 2024, actress Preity Zinta initiated legal action in the Bombay High Court against the unauthorized circulation of AI-generated deepfake videos, morphed images, and chatbot-style interactions. The suit, filed against Google LLC, Meta, and various domain name registrars, seeks an injunction to protect her likeness from sophisticated digital manipulation.

What happened

Preity Zinta filed a lawsuit, titled 'Preity Zinta v. Google LLC & Ors.', alleging that various online platforms are hosting manipulated and deepfake content featuring her. During the hearing on July 3, 2024, senior advocate Venkatesh Dhond argued that the sophistication of these AI-generated materials necessitated urgent ex parte relief. The legal team requested 'John Doe' orders to address unidentified infringers and a broader injunction to prevent the future distribution of unauthorized content.

Representatives for Google and Meta stated they would comply with requests to remove specific URLs containing morphed or obscene material identified by the plaintiff. However, they contested the request for blanket directions that would force intermediaries to proactively monitor or remove content, arguing that some flagged URLs did not contain objectionable material. A domain name registrar involved in the case also noted that its role is restricted to domain registration, leaving it without control over content hosted on external social media platforms.

Justice Madhav Jamdar emphasized the need for a balanced approach, noting that any court-ordered relief must be carefully tailored to remove infringing content without harming legitimate digital material. The court directed all involved parties to collaborate on a practical protocol for identifying and removing the unauthorized content, with further proceedings scheduled for July 6.