Delhi High Court Blocks Deepfake Videos Misusing Shashi Tharoor’s Identity

In a significant order protecting digital identity and public reputation, the Delhi High Court has granted relief to Congress MP Shashi Tharoor against deepfake videos falsely portraying him as praising Pakistan’s foreign policy.

Justice Mini Pushkarna passed the interim order while hearing Tharoor’s suit alleging misuse of artificial intelligence to create manipulated videos and audio clips using his face, voice, speaking style, and vocabulary. The Court restrained any further unauthorised use or imitation of his identity traits for generating deepfakes or morphed content.

The Court specifically prohibited the misuse of Tharoor’s name, likeness, image, voice, “signature oratorial cadence,” manner of speaking, and “highly refined vocabulary.” It also directed social media platforms Meta and X to remove and block the disputed videos circulating online.

The Court further observed that if additional fake content appears during the pendency of the case, Tharoor would be free to approach the platforms through counsel for immediate takedown or blocking action.

Apart from removal of content, the Court also ordered the intermediaries to disclose basic subscriber information connected to the creators and uploaders of the deepfake material. This includes IP login details, phone numbers, and email addresses linked to the accounts involved.

According to Tharoor’s plea, unidentified individuals allegedly used AI and machine learning tools to create highly realistic fake videos suggesting that he praised Pakistan’s diplomatic strategies and criticised India’s foreign policy stance. The suit stated that the fabricated content spread rapidly across digital platforms and misled viewers.

The petition claimed that the manipulated videos were so convincing that even members of the political establishment and foreign journalists were deceived. Tharoor argued that the campaign damaged his reputation, caused mental distress, and created international embarrassment.

He also informed the Court that the videos surfaced while he was campaigning during the recently concluded Kerala elections. The plea described the disinformation drive as a deliberate attempt to harm his patriotic image and influence public perception during the electoral period.