Actor Akshay Kumar has just successfully added his name to the growing list of celebrities who have managed to safeguard their personality rights with legal intervention. The Bombay High Court on Thursday protected the personality rights of Akshay and noted the ‘truly alarming’ nature of the realistic deepfakes of the star that are being created using artificial intelligence. The order was made available on Thursday.

What the order said

As per news agency PTI, the high court said, “Both in the context of images and videos, the morphing is so sophisticated and deceptive that it is virtually impossible to discern that the same are not genuine images/videos of the plaintiff (Kumar).”

Akshay had filed a suit in HC against many websites and social media platforms that were misusing his photographs, videos and name without authority. In an interim application, the actor had sought the removal of all such content and an injunction from future use.

In its order, the court said the deepfake video of the actor making communally inflammatory statements and statements about Rishi Valmiki is deeply concerning. “The consequences that can arise from such content being disseminated are indeed most grave and serious,” the order said.

More details

“The consequences that can arise from such content being disseminated are indeed most grave and serious,” the order also noted, while particularly raising concern over the deepfake video of the actor making communally inflammatory statements and statements about Rishi Valmiki.

The court also added that being a renowned actor, Akshay has the rights over his personality, including his name, screen name, image, voice, tone and distinctive performance. The court stated that a case was made out to grant interim protection and restrained individuals from infringing upon the actor’s personality rights and/or misusing them without permission.

The bench ordered the removal of all such content from social media platforms and restrained the posting of any such content in future. Kumar in his plea had sought protection of his personality rights amid the rise of deepfake videos, stating that such content has not only damaged his reputation, but also has huge consequences. The petition sought to restrain the ongoing infringement and unauthorised commercial exploitation of his personality and publicity rights, including his real name, screen name “Akshay Kumar,” image, likeness, voice, distinctive performance style, mannerisms and other identifiable attributes.

(via inputs from PTI)