Delhi HC Protects Yuvraj Singh's Personality Rights,…

In July 2024, the Delhi High Court granted an interim order protecting the personality rights of renowned cricketer Yuvraj Singh, prohibiting the unauthorized use of his name, image, and likeness in AI-generated content. The ruling serves to curb the exploitation of his persona for commercial or personal gain following a lawsuit filed by the sportsman.

What happened

Yuvraj Singh sought legal intervention after discovering that various social media accounts were disseminating AI-generated images and deepfake videos that depicted him in fabricated and fictional scenarios. According to his counsel, these unauthorized materials included content featuring vulgar and abusive language, religiously insensitive posts, and videos that falsely portrayed him exhibiting aggressive or violent behavior toward other cricketers.

Justice Jyoti Singh, presiding over the case, noted that these deepfakes were actively tarnishing the reputation and goodwill Singh had built throughout his 17-year career. The court emphasized that as a globally recognized figure, Singh maintains proprietary rights over his personality attributes, including his voice, image, and nicknames such as 'Yuvi.'

The court’s interim order explicitly bars third parties from misappropriating these attributes for merchandise sales or digital content creation. Furthermore, the court directed Meta Platforms and other online entities to remove the offending materials. This ruling aligns with a growing trend of public figures, including actors and other athletes, seeking judicial protection against the misuse of their likenesses through emerging digital technologies.