Delhi HC upholds Raj Shamani’s personality rights against AI-generated content

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has passed an order protecting the personality rights of podcaster and entrepreneur Raj Shamani, according to a Bar & Bench report.

Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora granted an injunction against AI-generated content and the use of Shamani’s name, persona and other identifying attributes on social media channels and websites without his consent. "We will pass the injunction," the Court said.

However, the Court clarified that it would not at this stage issue any orders against parody or satirical videos.

"In these proceedings, the plaintiff [Shamani] has also sought to take down videos which ex facie identify itself as parody. In the opinion of this court combining the cause of action with videos which are parody and those on the unauthorised commercial use of plaintiff's personality would embarrass the trial," Justice Arora observed.

He added that Shamani could pursue a separate cause of action for such content. Senior Advocate Diya Kapur, representing Shamani, noted that he is a leading podcaster who hosts the show “Figuring Out,” where he speaks with celebrities and public figures.

She told the Court that deepfakes depicting Shamani promoting goods and services were circulating online. "There are websites that claim they can get Shamani," Kapur said, highlighting that fake endorsements were being run in his name by an entity called Tax Buddy.

She also mentioned unauthorised Telegram chatbots that purportedly provide answers as if Shamani were directly responding, including soliciting funds for a crypto scheme. Kapur further noted that obscene online channels were using Shamani’s content without authorisation and that hashtags with his name were being leveraged to boost views.

The Court, while protecting Shamani’s commercial persona, declined to intervene in matters relating to hashtags or demeaning memes. "Certain issues of demeaning memes can be separately agitated. Why don't you file a separate suit,"

Justice Arora suggested, questioning Telegram about the chatbots. Advocate Madhav Khosla, appearing for Telegram, stated that some of the prayers in Shamani’s petition were overboard but confirmed that Telegram would remove certain chatbots.