New Delhi, November 7, 2025 — The Delhi High Court has directed Google LLC to take down two YouTube channels accused of circulating deepfake and fabricated videos that exploit the personality rights of veteran journalist Rajat Sharma.
The court ordered Google to remove the channels within 36 hours and provide Sharma with details such as their BSI information, contact details, access logs, and monetisation data within a week. Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora stated that the journalist had provided sufficient evidence to prove the videos were “fake, doctored, and AI-generated,” impersonating him to spread misinformation.
The court also instructed Sharma and Google to hold a joint meeting to identify and remove such deepfake content efficiently. It further asked Google to ensure the automatic removal of identical or similar content, relieving the journalist from the burden of monitoring such material.
According to the order, this step was necessary to protect Sharma’s legal and personal rights and to curb the misuse of artificial intelligence in spreading false information. The decision came after Sharma filed an interim application seeking protection of his personality rights from AI-generated impersonations.
Sharma’s counsel alleged that the two YouTube channels were “rogue entities” that had illegally taken copyrighted footage from Sharma’s news network, altered it, and uploaded misleading videos impersonating him and other prominent Indian journalists.
The court also allowed Sharma to report any future instances of fake or deepfake content targeting him, with directions for Google to remove such videos within 48 hours of notification.
Earlier, another bench of the Delhi High Court had already passed an interim order safeguarding Sharma’s personality rights and ordering the removal of any doctored videos featuring his likeness.
Delhi High Court Orders Google to Remove Deepfake Videos Targeting Journalist Rajat Sharma
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