Delhi High Court Cracks Down on Deepfake Channels Impersonating Journalist

The Delhi High Court has instructed Google to remove two YouTube channels hosting deepfake videos impersonating journalist Rajat Sharma. The court demands the disclosure of channel details to Sharma, and requires Google to act swiftly to prevent the spread of misinformation, protecting Sharma’s personality rights.

The Delhi High Court issued a directive to Google LLC to take down two YouTube channels accused of distributing deepfake videos featuring journalist Rajat Sharma. This order, given on Friday, also requires Google to provide exhaustive details about the channels to Sharma within one week.

Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora articulated satisfaction with the plaintiff's claims, asserting that the AI-generated videos extensively impersonate Sharma and spread misinformation. Consequently, the court mandated immediate actions to eliminate the contentious content to safeguard Sharma's rights.

The court further instructed Google to proactively prevent similar content from resurfacing, diminishing the burden on the plaintiff to identify and report such violations. This action underscores the emphasis on upholding the journalist's rights while curtailing misinformation dissemination.

(With inputs from agencies.)