The Delhi High Court on Wednesday directed social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to take down deepfake videos that falsely depict Congress leader Shashi Tharoor making pro-Pakistan statements. The court observed that such manipulated content poses a serious threat to an individual's reputation and can cause irreparable harm.
Court's Directive
Justice Amit Bansal passed the order while hearing a plea by Tharoor seeking removal of the viral deepfake videos. The court directed X to block access to the specific URLs containing the objectionable content within 24 hours. It also asked the platform to ensure that similar content is not uploaded again.
Nature of the Deepfake
The videos, which surfaced on social media earlier this week, showed Tharoor making statements allegedly supporting Pakistan and criticizing India. Tharoor's counsel argued that the videos were completely fabricated using artificial intelligence technology and had no basis in reality. The court agreed, noting that deepfakes can be used to spread misinformation and disrupt public order.
Legal Implications
The High Court emphasized that while freedom of speech is a fundamental right, it does not extend to spreading falsehoods that damage someone's reputation. The court referred to the Information Technology Act and the Indian Penal Code provisions related to forgery and defamation. X was also directed to preserve logs and metadata of the accounts that uploaded the videos for further investigation.
Tharoor's Response
Tharoor welcomed the court's order, stating that deepfakes are a dangerous tool that can be weaponized to target public figures. He urged social media platforms to adopt stricter measures to detect and remove such content proactively. The Congress leader also called for a broader legal framework to address the challenges posed by AI-generated misinformation.
Broader Concerns
The case has reignited the debate on the regulation of deepfake technology in India. Experts warn that with the upcoming general elections, deepfakes could be used to manipulate voters and undermine democratic processes. The Delhi High Court's decision is expected to set a precedent for handling similar cases in the future.
- Deepfake technology uses AI to create realistic but fake videos.
- Social media platforms are often slow to respond to such content.
- Legal experts argue for stricter laws to combat deepfakes.
The court will hear the matter next on March 15, 2025, to review compliance.
