The Delhi High Court on Thursday directed several social media platforms and e-commerce intermediaries to remove the remaining online content allegedly infringing the personality rights of Indian cricketer Abhishek Sharma.
The single-judge Bench of Justice Jyoti Singh passed the direction in a suit seeking protection against the unauthorised use of the cricketer’s name, image, likeness and identity across digital platforms, including content allegedly generated or manipulated using artificial intelligence (AI).
Justice Singh was informed that a substantial number of URLs identified by the plaintiff had already been taken down after an additional affidavit was filed before the Bench. Taking note of the developments, the Court directed the plaintiff to submit a consolidated list containing only those URLs that remained accessible to avoid duplication and facilitate effective compliance with its directions.
The single-judge accepted the undertakings furnished by Meta Platforms and Amazon to remove the remaining allegedly infringing content available on their respective platforms. During the hearing, Meta informed the Court that only two posts remained online and undertook to remove them. Recording the statement, the Court directed the concerned intermediaries to take down the remaining content identified by the plaintiff.
The High Court further clarified that if the impugned content reappeared through fresh URLs or different hyperlinks, the defendants would continue to remain bound by the interim injunction already operating against them unless they obtained an appropriate modification of the Court’s order. The Court indicated that it was not inclined to adjudicate disputes related to every new hyperlink individually at this stage and instead directed compliance with the existing injunction.
The matter concerns allegations that several online entities were using Sharma’s name, photographs, likeness, identity and other indicia of personality without his authorisation. The plaintiff has also alleged misuse of AI technology to create manipulated and misleading images, amounting to commercial exploitation of his personality rights and unauthorised appropriation of his identity.
Earlier during the proceedings, the Court had observed that disputes involving online content increasingly reveal an overlap between the law relating to personality rights and defamation. It noted that while the two causes of action are distinct, there may be situations where defamatory material also involves unauthorised exploitation of an individual’s personality and identity, particularly in cases involving AI-generated or digitally manipulated content.
During the previous hearing, counsel appearing for Meta had submitted that certain disputed posts did not amount to infringement of personality rights and were in the nature of ordinary photographs. The plaintiff, however, contended that one of the images had been digitally altered using artificial intelligence after modifying an original photograph taken with his manager, thereby creating a misleading AI-generated image that falsely represented him and infringed his personality rights.
Meta had further argued that several grievances raised by the plaintiff were more appropriately addressed under the law relating to defamation or privacy rather than personality rights. It also submitted that the number of URLs complained of had increased substantially during the proceedings, making it practically difficult for intermediaries if personality rights were interpreted so broadly as to require platforms to monitor and remove all adverse online content.
On the issue of service of summons, the High Court directed issuance of summons to the identified defendants. Recognising the practical difficulties in serving anonymous or unidentified online users, the Court permitted service through social media accounts wherever the defendants’ physical addresses or email addresses were unavailable, allowing notices to be served directly through their respective platform profiles.
The Court granted the defendants two weeks to comply with its directions. The matter has been listed before the Joint Registrar on August 11, 2026, for completion of pleadings, filing of replies and compliance with procedural requirements. The Bench will hear the interim applications on November 17, 2026.
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