Delhi High Court orders removal of Ajay Devgan's inappropriate deepfakes

The Court, however, did not order the removal of other normal content that uses Devgan's photos, noting that he would have to remove almost everything online related to him

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The Delhi High Court on Thursday ordered the removal of several deepfake videos of actor Ajay Devgan, including ones showing him in inappropriate scenes with female celebrities, according to a report by Bar and Bench.

 

Devgan had earlier filed a case asking the Court to protect his personality rights. The court, however, did not order the removal of other normal content that uses Devgan’s photos.

 

The court noted that fan pages should be allowed some freedom, and not all fan-made posts can be taken down. Otherwise, Devgan would have to remove almost everything online related to him.

Court asked Devgan to complain to YouTube

Devgan’s lawyer told the court that posters with Devgan’s name and photo were being sold on Amazon without permission, and that t-shirts and caps with his name were also being sold. But he mainly focused on the problem of deepfake videos involving female celebrities. He said that one YouTuber was sharing fake, offensive videos created using Devgan’s face and name.

 

The court asked whether Devgan had first complained to YouTube, stating that it would have made his case stronger. The court also said that Devgan must file a protest with YouTube before coming to court in future cases, or he will have to wait longer for hearings.

Safeguarding personality rights

In recent years, several actors and public figures, including Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Rajat Sharma, Jackie Shroff, and Anil Kapoor, have approached courts to safeguard their personality rights. Personality rights are legal safeguards that protect an individual’s identity from being misused without consent. These rights allow people, especially public figures, to control how their name, image, voice, or distinctive traits are used in public or for commercial purposes.

 

For celebrities, the risk of their image being exploited for financial gain without involvement or compensation is significant. These rights ensure they retain control over how their identity is represented and prevent harm from misuse, including deepfakes, fake endorsements, or intimate doctored content.