Filmmaker Karan Johar fondly known as KJo has scored a significant legal victory at the Delhi High Court in a case involving the unauthorized use of his name, image, and voice on social media platforms without his consent. The court upheld Johar’s personality rights, emphasizing that such personal attributes must be protected from misuse. It directed major technology giants including Google, Meta, and X to provide IT log records and Basic Subscriber Information linked to the alleged violations.
At the same time, the e-commerce platform Redbubble was ordered to remove content deemed objectionable. A more detailed order is expected during the next hearing. Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora specifically stated, “Defendants 14, 15, and 16, which comprise the social networking companies Google, Meta, and X, will supply IT log records in addition to Basic Subscriber Information details.” Other online platforms named in the suit, such as Giphy and Pinterest (Defendants 2-5 and 7-10), were also summoned to comply with the court’s directions as part of the ongoing proceedings.
As far as the interim relief application is concerned, the judge promised a detailed order and indicated that an injunction would be granted soon. Counsel for Redbubble confirmed that the platform would begin removing infringing content within a week. Prior to this, the court had asked Johar to submit a precise list of URLs or posts he found offensive or misleading, specifying whether the content was defamatory, obscene, or objectionable.
This ruling aligns with recent legal precedents involving other celebrities like Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Abhishek Bachchan, where the Delhi High Court held that unauthorized usage of a person’s image, voice, or name—especially through emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence—constitutes a violation of privacy rights. Karan Johar’s case highlights the growing legal recognition of personality rights in the digital age and serves as a warning against unauthorized exploitation of individuals’ identities on online platforms.
