Karan Johar, the acclaimed filmmaker, has achieved a significant legal victory from the Delhi High Court in his effort to safeguard his personality rights. Johar initiated legal action claiming that his name, likeness, and voice were being utilized across numerous digital platforms without his permission. The Court recognized Johar’s concerns and affirmed that his personality rights would be upheld. Furthermore, it mandated major tech firms, including Google, Meta, and X (formerly Twitter), to supply essential information such as IT log records and Basic Subscriber Information (BSI) to aid in the investigation. The online marketplace Redbubble has also been ordered to eliminate offensive content that allegedly takes advantage of Johar’s identity.
A more detailed ruling will be provided at the next hearing. According to LiveLaw, Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora indicated that Defendants 14, 15, and 16—Google, Meta, and X—are not being summoned at this time but are included for compliance purposes. The Court will determine the issuance of formal summons to these companies later. Summons have been issued to Defendants 2 to 5 and 7 to 10, which encompass online platforms like Giphy and Pinterest. The judge remarked in court, “I will pass a detailed order on the interim application. An injunction will be granted,” thereby offering Johar temporary protection against further exploitation of his identity.
This ruling aligns with recent decisions by the Delhi High Court that favored Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, recognizing that unauthorized use of a celebrity’s likeness through technological means, including AI, constitutes a breach of privacy rights.