Shashi Tharoor approached the Delhi High Court seeking protection of his personality and publicity rights, alleging unauthorized use of his identity across digital platforms that could harm his reputation and mislead the public through misuse of his name and image.
The Delhi High Court said that public figures must be ready to face criticism, satire, and public comments unless it is humiliating or defamatory. The Court also warned that personality rights cases cannot be used to seek blanket removal of news reports and online content.
Today, the Delhi High Court directed removal of online images of YouTuber Bhuvan Bam shared without his consent, granting interim relief. Justice Jyoti Singh said the order binds John Doe defendants, while clarifying personality rights remain undecided presently therein.
The Madras High Court found a strong prima facie case of personality rights violation and restrained the AI-driven misuse of Kamal Haasan’s image and likeness. The interim order bars unauthorised circulation and commercial exploitation while safeguarding satire and creative expression.
The Madras High Court observed social media content may be ordered taken down if it amounts to commercial exploitation of an individual’s personality rights. The remark arose in a high-profile dispute involving chef T. Rangaraj and designer Joy Crizildaa.
