Court Protects Ramdev's Persona from AI Deepfake Exploitation

The Delhi High Court has issued an interim order to protect Yoga guru Ramdev's personality rights against the unauthorized use of his image, name, and voice, particularly in AI-generated and deepfake content. The decision mandates the removal of misleading content within 72 hours.

The Delhi High Court has taken a significant step in safeguarding the personality rights of renowned Yoga guru Ramdev. In an interim order, the court has barred the unauthorized use of his name, image, voice, and other attributes across all formats and mediums, including AI-generated content and deepfake videos.

Justice Jyoti Singh stated that these unauthorized representations not only misappropriate Ramdev's goodwill but also risk tarnishing his public image and credibility. The court ordered the removal of such content within 72 hours of the order. Offending parties, including unknown individuals, are restrained from exploiting Ramdev's identity for commercial or personal gain without consent.

The court's decision emphasizes the threat posed by modern technologies like AI, which have been used inappropriately to modify Ramdev's likeness. However, the court allowed exceptions for content falling under parody or caricature, subject to further deliberations at the next hearing on March 12.

(With inputs from agencies.)