- Yuvraj Singh filed a lawsuit alleging the unauthorised sale of merchandise bearing his personality attributes and the circulation of AI-generated images and videos portraying him in fabricated scenarios.
- His counsel informed the court that the objectionable content included religiously insensitive posts, videos showing aggressive and violent behaviour towards another cricketer, and posts with vulgar or abusive language.
- On July 29, Justice Jyoti Singh issued an interim order protecting Yuvraj Singh's personality and privacy rights, restraining unauthorised commercial or personal use of his name, image, voice, likeness, and attributes.
- The court directed Meta Platforms and other online platforms to remove the offending content, observing that Yuvraj's stature grants him proprietary rights over his personality.
- Yuvraj Singh contended that several social media accounts were publishing and disseminating AI-generated images and videos, purportedly showing him in fabricated and fictional scenarios which were damaging his reputation and goodwill.
- The court noted that the contents of the impugned AI-generated posts and deepfake videos were tarnishing the immense goodwill and reputation of Yuvraj Singh, built through years of hard work and stellar performances.
The Delhi High Court has granted Yuvraj Singh protection over his personality rights, prohibiting unauthorized use of his name, image, and likeness.15
The court's interim order, issued on July 29, emphasized that Singh, a celebrated cricketer, deserves to have his reputation safeguarded against exploitation.3
Justice Jyoti Singh stated, “Those violating his personality and privacy rights needed to be dealt with a heavy hand.”
The ruling comes in response to Singh's claims of unauthorized merchandise sales and the circulation of AI-generated content depicting him in damaging scenarios.
The objectionable content included religiously insensitive posts and videos portraying aggressive behavior, which Singh's counsel argued tarnished his goodwill built over years of hard work and contributions to cricket and social welfare.2
The court recognized Singh's stature as a globally renowned cricketer, affirming his proprietary rights over his personality attributes, which include the exclusive right to commercial use and protection from unauthorized exploitation.
The ruling aligns with previous cases where public figures, including actors and politicians, sought similar protections, highlighting a growing trend in safeguarding personality rights in the digital age.
The court concluded that the AI-generated posts and deepfake videos were damaging to Singh's reputation, necessitating immediate action to remove such content from platforms like Meta.
“Justice Jyoti Singh's July 29 interim order also protects the nickname 'Yuvi,' voice, likeness and other persona attributes, saying violators need to be 'dealt with a heavy hand.' The court found the AI posts tarnish goodwill built through hard work, stellar cricket performances and social welfare contributions.”
Daily Pioneer
