The Delhi High Court has directed the removal of objectionable, fabricated content related to former India cricketer Gautam Gambhir from the social media platforms. Gambhir had filed a lawsuit to stop his image, voice and other personality attributes from being misused and exploited for creating deepfake content and commercial gains.
Gambhir, the current head coach of the Indian men’s cricket team, has sought damages worth Rs 2.5 crore.
According to reports, the Delhi High Court said it will pass orders directing Meta, Google and Amazon to take down the links highlighted by Gambhir.
Appearing on behalf of Gambhir, advocate Jai Anant Dehadrai said that the offending content had “material consequence" with fabricated videos purportedly showing him resigning as the head coach after a poor match performance or assaulting a fellow player.
“Some things have material consequences. Imagine the head coach of the Indian team and words are being put in his mouth through deepfake to say he is resigning from the team. It has created a lot of issues," Dehadrai said.
“His commercial value is proven. He has endorsements from large brands," the lawyer added.
As per the lawsuit, several clips falsely portrayed him making statements he never made.
One video, presented as a resignation announcement, drew more than 2.9 million views while another, which appeared to show him commenting on senior cricketers’ participation in the World Cup, was viewed over 1.7 million times.
Gambhir’s legal team says the issue extends beyond social media.
The suit claims that online marketplaces have been selling posters and merchandise using his name and likeness without authorisation.
A total of 16 defendants have been named including individual social media accounts, e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Flipkart, and technology companies including Meta, X Corp., and Google, which owns YouTube.
‘Anonymous Accounts Weaponising My Identity’
Gambhir, a two-time world cup winner, alleged that anonymous accounts are spreading misinformation and generating revenue by exploiting his identity.
“My identity – my name, my face, my voice – has been weaponised by anonymous accounts to spread misinformation and generate revenue at my expense," Gambhir said.
“This is not a matter of personal hurt; it is a matter of law, dignity, and the protection every public figure deserves in the age of artificial intelligence," he added.
