Delhi HC orders takedown of Salman Khan personality-right content on social media
Delhi HC orders takedown of Salman Khan personality-right content on social media
Delhi High Court directs social platforms to remove Salman Khan's personality-right content within three days under IT Rules 2021.
In a decisive move, a Delhi High Court bench led by Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora ordered social media intermediaries to remove within three days all material that infringes Salman Khan's personality rights, including defamatory content. The directive treats Khan's suit as a complaint under IT Rules 2021, marking a statutory first step toward urgent takedowns. The matter is set to be heard again on May 18.
The court cited its November 27 direction and required intermediaries to act promptly, with the instruction that the plaint be treated as a complaint and processed accordingly. The order also extended the takedown requirement to other entities like e-commerce platforms selling Khan-branded merchandise, indicating a broad approach to protect personality rights online. The bench noted that platforms must address deepfakes and other violations under the IT Rules 2021, reinforcing a tech-wide standard for safeguarding celebrity identity online.
Salman Khan's lawyer argued that his client's rights were being misused by various entities, prompting this legal push. The court's emphasis on direct platform takedowns aims to curb harm before seeking court injunctions, aligning with the IT Rules' fast-track mechanism. This move mirrors a wider push by public figures in India to guard their rights amid AI-driven misuse of likeness and online content, signaling a new era of digital-age protections.
The case underscores growing concern about personality rights in the digital age, with tech platforms under pressure to balance free expression and celebrity rights, and to act swiftly when violations are identified.
Cover image source: Remove materials infringing Salman’s personality rights: HC to social media platforms 🔗
