Delhi High Court orders takedown of AI-Generated,…

In July 2024, the Delhi High Court granted interim protection to actor and politician Ravi Kishan, ordering the removal of unauthorized and allegedly obscene content that exploited his name, image, and likeness. The ruling addresses the growing legal challenges surrounding the use of artificial intelligence to create defamatory material and realistic imitations of public figures.

What happened

The legal action followed a suit filed by Ravi Kishan against the unauthorized use of his identity across various online platforms. Kishan identified several specific instances of infringement, including a radio segment titled "What is Love with Kavi Kishan" aired on Ishq 104.8 FM, which he argued commercially exploited his personality without consent. Additionally, he reported that an AI-generated video featuring a mock imitation of him had been circulated on the official Instagram account for Ishq FM.

Justice Jyoti Singh issued an injunction against Creative Channel Advertising and Marketing Private Limited, the operator of Ishq 104.8 FM, and extended the order to include unidentified "John Doe" defendants responsible for circulating similar infringing content. Under the court's directive, major technology platforms including Google, Meta, and X Corp are required to take down the identified material within 72 hours if the original publishers and domain registrars fail to comply within three days of the July 2 order. The court’s decision underscores the judiciary's increasing role in addressing personality rights violations in the age of generative AI, with the matter scheduled for a follow-up hearing on October 15.