Bollywood star Aishwarya Rai Bachchan has won a big legal battle to protect her name and image. On Thursday, Sept 11, the Delhi High Court ruled that no one can misuse her identity, especially through new technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), deepfakes, and face morphing.
Justice Tejas Karia, who gave the order, said that using Aishwarya’s name, pictures, or likeness without her permission is not just a matter of money but also about her dignity and reputation.
The court said such misuse could mislead people into thinking that she supports or promotes certain products or services when she actually does not.
The court made it clear that every person has “personality rights.” This means that individuals, especially public figures, have control over how their name, face, and personal identity are in use.
In its order, the High Court restrained several parties, both known and unknown, from using Aishwarya Rai Bachchan’s name, initials ‘ARB’, photos, or any digital likeness for personal or commercial benefit.
The order also applied to content already circulating online. The court directed Google LLC to remove all the links (URLs) listed in the case within 72 hours.
The actress had approached the High Court after online platforms started circulating AI-generated content that misused her identity, including pornographic material. She argued that such actions caused her emotional distress. In addition, they damaged her reputation, and put her at risk of being wrongly linked with things that she had nothing to do with.
Aishwarya is not the first celebrity to face such problems. Many public figures across the world have complained about the misuse of their identity. The concern has grown especially after the rise of deepfake and AI technology.
Recently, her husband Abhishek Bachchan also reached the court for the same.