The Bombay High Court has granted interim protection to actor Preity Zinta in her personality rights suit against Google LLC and several online intermediaries, directing the removal and blocking of AI-generated deepfakes, fake chatbot personas, manipulated images, GIFs and other unauthorised content exploiting her identity.
The single-judge Bench of Justice Madhav J Jamdar held that Zinta had established a strong prima facie case and observed that the unauthorised use of her identity through artificial intelligence technologies amounted to a violation of her personality rights, publicity rights and moral rights. The ad-interim injunction will remain in force until further orders.
According to the plaint, the actor’s identity has been extensively misused across digital platforms through AI-generated deepfake videos, morphed photographs, voice simulations, chatbot personas, unauthorised merchandise, GIFs and other manipulated content falsely suggesting her endorsement or association. The suit identifies more than 275 infringingURLs hosted on platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Instagram and X.
Zinta contended that her name, image, likeness, distinctive smile, voice, mannerisms, caricatures and overall public persona constitute valuable commercial attributes over which she enjoys exclusive rights. She argued that the unauthorised commercial exploitation of these features not only infringed her publicity rights but also harmed her reputation and violated her moral rights under Section 38-B of the Copyright Act, 1957.
The Court noted that the material placed on record disclosed extensive use of AI-generated deepfakes and manipulated content falsely depicting or imitating the actor, including chatbot services allowing users to interact with AI-generated personas purporting to represent her. It also took note of allegations regarding the online sale of unauthorised merchandise bearing her name and likeness.
Observing that such content has the potential to cause irreparable harm, Justice Jamdar held that once deepfake material is circulated online, it can be replicated indefinitely, resulting in lasting dilution of an individual’s personality rights and public image.
The Court further observed that personality and publicity rights derive protection from Articles 19(1)(a) and 21 of the Constitution, encompassing the right to privacy and the right to live with dignity. It also held that the impugned content prima facie affected the plaintiff’s moral rights under the Copyright Act.
Accordingly, the Court directed Google, YouTube, Meta, X and other intermediaries to remove, block or disable access to the identified infringing content within 72 hours. It further ordered the platforms to act on future infringing URLs notified by the plaintiff within the same period, while granting them liberty to approach the Court if they believe any notified content is not infringing.
The High Court also restrained the defendants from using or exploiting Zinta’s name, image, voice, likeness, persona or other identifying attributes through AI chatbots, digital avatars, deepfakes, face morphing technology, GIFs or similar tools without her consent.
Additionally, the Court directed certain platforms to block AI-generated characters created using her identity, prevent the creation of new AI personas bearing her name, image or voice, and ordered domain registrars to disclose details of registrants hosting infringing content upon request.
Noting that the defendants had not opposed the grant of interim relief but had expressed concerns over the practical implementation of future takedown requests, the Court clarified that intermediaries may raise objections where notified URLs contain legitimate content and seek appropriate directions from the Court.
The matter has been listed for further hearing on September 3, 2026, with the interim protection continuing until further orders.
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