Preity Zinta Takes Legal Battle to Bombay High Court Over AI Deepfakes
Bollywood star Preity Zinta has officially taken her fight against AI-generated deepfakes and altered digital content to the Bombay High Court. In the case titled Preity Zinta v. Google LLC & Ors., she seeks a judicial injunction to prevent the dissemination of unauthorized and morphed images and videos that falsely depict her likeness.
During a hearing on July 3, Justice Madhav Jamdar indicated a decision would be forthcoming on July 6. The court requested that involved parties collaborate to establish a framework for removing the offending content from online platforms.
Legal Arguments and Court Proceedings
In her legal action, Zinta named several significant internet intermediaries as respondents, including tech giants Google and Meta, along with various domain name registrars and identified infringers. Her lawsuit highlights how videos, images, and even chatbot interactions are being manipulated through AI technology to create misleading deepfake content hosted on these platforms.
Senior advocate Venkatesh Dhond, representing Zinta, underscored the growing sophistication of these deepfake images, advocating for immediate ex parte orders to compel known websites and intermediaries to remove all referenced infringing content. Additionally, Dhond requested a John Doe order to address unidentified infringers and sought a broad injunction to prevent any unauthorized use of Zinta’s persona.
Responses from Google, Meta, and Domain Registrars
Legal representatives for Google and Meta expressed willingness to delete links containing inappropriate or doctored content as identified by Zinta but cautioned against any sweeping mandates that would require them to preemptively monitor or remove content that is not proven to be infringing. They pointed out that some of the URLs flagged in the lawsuit did not contain objectionable material.
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A representative from a domain name registrar clarified that their role is limited to registering domain names, and they lack authority over URLs that direct users to content hosted on social media sites.
Justice Jamdar noted the necessity for any court orders to be carefully tailored to eliminate offensive content without inadvertently affecting legitimate online material. He emphasized the importance of devising a balanced protocol for content removal, urging all parties to collaborate in crafting a practical solution.
The court is scheduled to reconvene on July 6 to further address Zinta’s concerns and evaluate any proposed mechanisms for content takedown.
