New Delhi
The Delhi High Court has taken a stand against digital impersonation, ordering an immediate takedown of artificial intelligence (AI) content misusing the identity of Indian cricket head coach Gautam Gambhir. In a significant ruling for personality rights, the court directed major tech giants and e-commerce platforms to scrub their sites of unauthorized deepfakes and fabricated materials within 36 hours.
Justice Jyoti Singh issued the interim order after hearing a plea from the former cricketer’s legal team, who highlighted a “coordinated campaign” of digital deceit. Lawyers Jai Anant Dehadrai and Srutee Priyadarshini presented evidence of AI-generated videos, including a fake resignation announcement that garnered nearly three million views. The court heard how voice-cloning and face-swapping technologies were being “weaponized” to put false words in Gambhir’s mouth and promote unauthorized merchandise.
The mandate extends to major players including Meta (Instagram/Facebook), Google (YouTube), Amazon, and Flipkart. These platforms must not only remove the offending links but also disclose the identities and IP logs of the anonymous creators behind them. Justice Singh noted that Gambhir, as a decorated public figure and national coach, possesses immense goodwill that must be protected from reputational harm and commercial exploitation.
This landmark decision follows similar protections granted to other Indian icons like Sunil Gavaskar and Amitabh Bachchan. It serves as a stern warning to digital bad actors that the legal system is evolving to meet the challenges of the AI era, ensuring that a person’s name, voice, and face remain their own.
