Kangana gets personality rights protection

The Delhi High Court has granted interim protection to actress and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut’s personality rights, restraining the unauthorised use of her name, image, voice and other personal attributes, including through artificial intelligence-generated deepfakes, manipulated videos and fabricated speeches.

Justice Vikas Mahajan, in an order dated October 8, directed Meta Platforms Inc to remove and permanently take down the allegedly infringing content identified by Ranaut within 72 hours of being served a copy of the order.

The court also directed the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology and the Department of Telecommunications to issue necessary directions to internet and telecom service providers to block access to the identified infringing websites within the same period. The directions will remain in force until the next date of hearing.

The court passed the order on a suit filed by Ranaut seeking protection of her personality and publicity rights, alleging that fabricated statements, AI-generated content, morphed images and manipulated audio-visual material depicting her were being circulated across social media and other online platforms.