The Delhi High Court grants interim protection to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor against AI-generated deepfakes. According to multiple reports, Tharoor approaches the court after deepfake or synthetic videos of him circulate online, including content depicting him making politically sensitive statements he says he never made. The court recognises that Tharoor’s personality and publicity rights are enforceable, and it restrains others from misusing his name, image, voice, or distinctive speaking style for commercial, political, or malicious purposes.
In its interim order, the court directs platforms to remove the disputed synthetic content. One report specifically states that the court orders the social media platform X to take down an AI-generated video that purportedly shows Tharoor praising Pakistan’s diplomacy. The combined accounts describe the court’s focus on preventing further spread of the misleading material and limiting harm to Tharoor’s credibility, reputation, and public standing. The order is interim in nature and is framed around protecting against ongoing or imminent misuse of his persona through synthetic media.
