MUMBAI: The Bombay High Court on Tuesday permitted actor and entrepreneur Preity Zinta to sue Google LLC and other online platforms over alleged breach of her personality rights and copyright via deep fake videos, memes, manipulated images, AI-generated chatbot personas and other digital content.
A single-judge bench of justice Abhay Ahuja allowed Zinta’s petition seeking leave of letters patent, thus permitting the actor to file an injunction suit. Since the offending activities and actions were hosted on online platforms and several respondent parties had their offices outside Mumbai, part of the cause of action had arisen outside the jurisdiction of the court, the bench noted in furtherance of Zinta’s submissions. In granting the leave of letters patent, the court said it would have jurisdiction to entertain, try and dispose of the suit.
In her petition, Zinta alleged that various online platforms created, uploaded and disseminated AI-generated content that infringed upon her personality rights, copyright and caused immense loss of her goodwill and reputation. She also alleged violation of her moral rights under the Copyright Act, 1957.
Zinta’s counsel argued that since the actor resides and works for gain in Mumbai, her goodwill and reputation fell within the jurisdiction of the court, although the dissemination of offending materials was not only taking place within Mumbai, but all over the world.
After considering the submissions, the court granted relief to Zinta under Clause XII of the Letters Patent to enable her to file the suit before the high court.
