The Bombay High Court ordered multiple social media platforms for removal and deletion of actor Shilpa Shetty's morphed and AI-generated content including photos, videos and voice.

Granting relief to the actor in an interim order and upholding her 'personality rights', a vacation bench of Justice Advait Sethna observed that the content was "prima facie extremely disturbing and abhorrent to say the least." He further noted in his order that "no personality, much less a person and or a woman can be portrayed in a fashion which affects her fundamental right to privacy and that too, without her knowledge and or consent".

Shilpa Shetty had moved the High Court seeking protection of her personality rights by restraining unknown platforms from using and posting her images in a morphed or manipulated form. She also sought protection of her name, voice, image, signature, likeness and other identifying attributes, naming 28 unauthorised entities indulging in the activities that exploit her persona. Shetty alleged that her voice and mannerisms were being reproduced using AI in a manner that subjected her to ridicule. In connection to her plea, she also submitted images and posts that showed her in compromising positions, including deepfake images and pornographic videos, underlining that the posts were objectifying, sexualising and violating her modesty.

While directing the Department of Telecommunications to take down URLs, links, posts and websites carrying her distorted images, the court said, "She is a well-known film personality and also active on various social media platforms. Portrayal of such images through URLs would tarnish her image and reputation and this cannot be countenanced."

Shilpa Shetty's plea and case amidst a slew of Indian celebrities including Akshay Kumar, Madhavan, Pawan Kalyan and Jr NTR, among others filing similar complaints, urging the court to protect their personality rights against such harmful and unauthorised content generated using AI that tarnish their reputation.