Delhi High Court Protects Tabu from AI Misuse and Orders Take-Down of Over 150 URLs
The Delhi High Court has granted actor Tabu an ex-parte interim injunction shielding her personality attributes—including her name, image, and voice—from unauthorised commercial exploitation, Artificial Intelligence generation, deepfakes, and face morphing. Justice Jyoti Singh directed major online intermediaries and tech platforms to disable or remove over 150 identified URLs carrying objectionable and unauthorised material linked to the actor.
What Happened
Actor Tabu, legally named Tabassum Jamal Hashmi, filed a commercial suit before the Delhi High Court seeking protection for her personality and publicity rights. The plea highlighted the unauthorised use of her identity across various digital platforms, which included fake event-booking accounts, unapproved commercial merchandise such as mugs and hoodies, manipulated intimate video edits from her films, and fabricated statements falsely attributed to her.
Hearing the petition, Justice Jyoti Singh observed that Tabu established a prima facie case where the balance of convenience lay in her favour. The court issued an interim injunction restraining Defendants 1 to 7, as well as unidentified John Does, from misusing her identity across websites, mobile applications, social media platforms, and the Metaverse using AI, Generative AI, Machine Learning, or face-morphing technologies.
Key Highlights
- Takedown Directives: The High Court ordered Google, Meta, X Corp, Reddit, and eBay to disable or take down identified URLs, exceeding 150 links in total. Google and Meta were directed to remove multiple sets of URLs within 36 hours.
- User Data Disclosure: Google, Meta, X, Reddit, and GoDaddy were directed to provide Basic Subscriber Information and IP log details related to the infringing accounts to help identify those responsible.
- Fabricated Statements: A publisher carrying a fabricated and disparaging statement attributed to Tabu was directed to delete the content from all its platforms within three days.
- Broad Scope of Restraint: The restraint covers her real name, stage name, voice recordings, photographic images, signatures, and film stills.
- Precedents Cited: The court referenced earlier Delhi High Court rulings concerning personality rights, including D.M. Entertainment v. Baby Gift House, Anil Kapoor v. Simply Life India, and Jaikishan Kakubhai Saraf v. Peppy Store.
Why This Matters
The court highlighted that personality rights for public figures extend beyond commercial financial losses. Citing established legal precedents, Justice Jyoti Singh noted that the unauthorised digital exploitation and manipulation of an individual’s likeness, name, and voice directly impacts personal privacy and the constitutional right to live with dignity.
What to Watch Next
The interim injunction remains active until the next hearing. The matter has been registered as a commercial suit, with the remaining defendants directed to submit their written statements within 30 days. The discovery application has been listed for return on December 7, 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which platforms were directed to remove content related to Tabu?
The High Court directed Google, Meta, X Corp, Reddit, and eBay to remove or disable specified URLs containing unauthorised content.
What specific technologies are covered under the injunction?
The restraint applies to unauthorised use through Artificial Intelligence (AI), Generative AI, Machine Learning, deepfakes, face morphing, and GIFs across digital platforms, apps, and the Metaverse.
What details were platforms ordered to disclose?
Google, Meta, X, Reddit, and GoDaddy were ordered to disclose Basic Subscriber Information and IP log records associated with the infringing accounts.
Source: ANI via Bollywood Hungama report on Delhi High Court proceedings.