Protection of Publicity and Personality Rights
Bollywood actor Abhishek Bachchan has filed a plea in the Delhi High Court seeking protection from the misuse of his identity by websites and platforms. His concern centers around the creation of fake or sexually explicit content using his likeness, particularly through artificial intelligence (AI)-manipulated videos and fake photographs.
Personality Rights
Personality rights are legal protections that prevent the unauthorized use of an individual's identity. These rights are crucial for public figures, allowing them to control how their name, image, voice, or distinctive traits are used commercially or publicly.
- Right of Publicity: This prevents unauthorized commercial exploitation of a person’s attributes, such as a celebrity’s face used in advertisements without approval.
- Right to Privacy: Protects individuals from unwanted exposure or misrepresentation of their personal life or persona.
Importance of Personality Rights
For celebrities, the misuse of their image for financial gain without their consent is a significant risk. Personality rights allow them to retain control over their identity representation and prevent harm from misuse, such as deepfakes, fake endorsements, or intimate doctored content.
Personality Rights in India
India lacks a specific law for personality rights. However, protection is extended through precedents, relying on privacy and property rights under Article 21 of the Constitution and the Copyright Act, 1957. Courts have taken steps to restrict unauthorized use of a celebrity’s name, voice, or image.
Celebrities Seeking Legal Protection
Abhishek Bachchan is one among several public figures who have sought legal protection for their personality rights:
- Aishwarya Rai Bachchan (2025): Sought legal action after her image was misused by a company claiming her as its chairperson.
- Jackie Shroff (2024): Had videos mocking him removed by court order.
- Rajat Sharma (2024): Received protection against deepfake manipulation and fake endorsements.
- Mohan Babu (2024): The Delhi High Court restrained unauthorized use of his name or voice by AI chatbots and platforms.
- Anil Kapoor (2023): Secured protection against misuse of his dialogues and catchphrases.
- Amitabh Bachchan (2022): The court stopped unauthorized use of his name, voice, and image.
- Rajinikanth (2015): The Madras High Court restrained a film from using his name and style without approval.