sadhguru-moves-hc-to-protect-personality-rights-from-ai-misuse

Isha Foundation founder and spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev has moved  the Delhi High Court to protect his personality rights, especially from being misused through Artificial Intelligence (AI).He has requested the court to take steps to stop the unauthorised use of his name, image, and voice to promote and sell fake products online.

During the hearing, Sadhguru’s lawyer told the court that several products are being wrongly sold using his name and reputation.
He said, “Many products are being sold in my name like Garbh yatra. This relies on my good name.”The lawyer argued that this kind of activity was a “fraud with the use of AI“, explaining that some of these online platforms were using AI-generated content pretending to be from Sadhguru himself.

 

In this suit, Sadhguru has questioned the unauthorized and unlawful use of his name, image ,likeness and other distinctive attributes. The defendents actions amount to misappropriation of Sadhguru's identity and constitute a violation of his personality rights and right to publicity, as they falsely suggest as association by him, it states. 

 

In response, Justice Saurabh Banerjee, who was hearing the case, asked the lawyer to share links to the fake websites or content so that they could be taken down. He said, “Please provide us URLs for removal?”However, the lawyer appearing for Sadhguru pointed out that this was an ongoing issue and that fake links or products might keep appearing on new websites in the future. He said, “In future it will be on another URL.”

 

To this, Justice Banerjee advised the lawyer to take the matter up with Google directly, stating, “You write to Google with details.”
Justice Banerjee assured that the court would take immediate steps and said, “Meanwhile we will pass interim order.” Advocate Saikrishna Rajagopal appeared on behalf of Sadhguru in the case.

 

In the past, several well-known personalities such as Amitabh Bachchan, Jackie Shroff, Rajat Sharma, Arijit Singh, and Mohan Babu have also moved High Courts to seek legal protection for their personality rights.