New Delhi: Following Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan, and several other celebrities, former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has now approached the Delhi High Court.
His motive is to protect his personality rights. The rise of deepfakes, AI-generated content, and the unauthorized use of his image has compelled him to take legal action. The court has also directed swift action on the matter.
Gavaskar objects to the unauthorized use of his image
Sunil Gavaskar filed a petition in the court seeking to stop several organizations from using his name, photo, voice, and other identification without permission. He termed this a violation of his reputation and privacy.
Court issues directives to social media companies
The High Court directed Gavaskar’s lawyers to first provide the relevant social media platforms with a list of all URLs to be removed. The court directed the platforms to take action within seven days.
Several stars have sought legal recourse in recent times
The Delhi High Court has previously ruled on petitions filed by Salman Khan, Amitabh Bachchan, Anil Kapoor, and other celebrities. The court acknowledged that individuals have the absolute right to commercially exploit their personalities especially in an era of increasing misuse of deepfakes and AI technology.
Freedom of expression protected by the Constitution will also remain protected
The court also clarified that constitutional rights such as satire, art, news reporting, and expression will not be limited. However, commercial or misleading use of one’s image or name cannot be permitted without permission.
Story Highlights
- Sunil Gavaskar approached the Delhi High Court to protect his personality rights.
- The court ordered social media companies to take action within 7 days.
- A ban was sought on the use of his image and name without permission.
- The court stated that in the era of deepfakes, respecting personality rights is essential, and freedom of expression will also be protected.