Kangana Ranaut granted personality rights protection against deepfakes, false quotes

The Delhi High Court has granted actor and BJP MP Kangana Ranaut interim protection against the misuse of her identity, including AI-generated deepfakes and fabricated statements attributed to her. Justice Vikas Mahajan issued an ex parte ad-interim injunction on October 8, 2026, in a suit filed against Meta Platforms Inc. and other defendants.

Ranaut alleged that social media accounts and websites were circulating fabricated statements, morphed images, and sexually explicit AI-generated content falsely depicting her. She argued that the material exploited her public persona and could damage her reputation and dignity.

The court directed Meta to remove identified content and ordered government ministries to instruct internet and telecom service providers to block access to specified infringing websites. The court determined that Ranaut's public stature grants her proprietary rights over her personality and associated attributes, giving her the exclusive right to use these for commercial purposes and protect them from unauthorized exploitation.

The injunction prohibits the creation or dissemination of deepfakes, manipulated recordings, fabricated speeches, false endorsements, and impersonation content. Meta is mandated to remove and restrict access to the identified content within 72 hours of receiving the court order. Government ministries must issue blocking directions within the same timeframe.

This ruling is a significant precedent for protecting public figures' personality rights in the digital age, particularly with the rise of AI and deepfake technology. It highlights the judiciary's role in combating disinformation and reputational harm.