Delhi High Court Orders Google to Remove AI-Generated Fake Content Featuring Sadhguru
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The Delhi High Court has directed Google to proactively utilize its technological capabilities to identify and remove fabricated and AI-doctored content on YouTube that exploits the image, videos, and persona of spiritual leader and Isha Foundation founder, Sadhguru Jagadish Vasudev.
The court’s order, issued on Tuesday, underscores the growing legal challenges posed by the proliferation of deepfakes and misleading information online. This ruling comes as a critically important step in protecting public figures from the misuse of their identity in the digital realm.
Court Cites IT Rules in Landmark Decision
A single-judge bench led by Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora issued an interim order in a suit brought forth by Sadhguru and the Isha Foundation, addressing the widespread misuse of the spiritual leader’s identity across online platforms. The directive aligns with the Information Technology (intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, specifically Rule 4(4). This rule mandates that intermediaries like Google deploy tools and technology to proactively detect and remove identical or similar content,reducing the burden on individuals to repeatedly request takedowns.
The court specifically addressed fraudulent advertisements circulating on YouTube,including a fabricated video falsely depicting Sadhguru’s arrest. Justice Arora stated that “If defendant No.45 (Google) has any technological limitations or reservations on this direction, it can take instructions and file an affidavit to that effect.”
Collaborative approach Emphasized
The Delhi High Court has requested Google to engage in a collaborative dialog with the Isha Foundation to establish a robust mechanism for preventing the recurrence of such deceptive content. The aim is to create a system where the Isha Foundation is not required to continuously flag each instance of violation.
During the court hearing, counsel for Google indicated the company was already removing infringing URLs reported to them and expressed a willingness to collaborate with the Isha Foundation to resolve the issue. This willingness to cooperate could be crucial in developing effective solutions.
Previous Ruling and Resurfaced Concerns
This latest order builds upon a previous ruling issued on May 30, where the Delhi High Court formally recognized Sadhguru’s personality rights and ordered online platforms to remove existing fake and AI-generated content used to promote financial scams and attract subscribers. At that time, the court noted that rogue websites and channels were employing AI-morphed videos and doctored images to mislead users.
However, the Isha Foundation argued that despite the previous interim orders, misleading advertisements had resurfaced with increasing frequency. The foundation highlighted that Google’s own advertising policies prohibit “clickbait ads based on negative life events,” such as false claims of arrest or death, yet such content continued to be published.
Public Urged to Remain vigilant
The Isha Foundation emphasized the widespread confusion and concern caused by the continued circulation of these deepfakes, noting that thousands of individuals had contacted them to verify false claims regarding sadhguru’s arrest.
The organization is urging the public to remain vigilant and report any fake advertisements or videos on YouTube falsely claiming Sadhguru’s arrest by flagging them as “scam” or “misleading.” This collective effort is s
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