The Delhi High Court has directed Google to utilize its technological capabilities effectively to prevent the dissemination of deceptive advertisements, specifically those featuring false depictions of Sadhguru’s arrest. This directive comes in response to repeated complaints from Sadhguru and the Isha Foundation regarding the misuse of Sadhguru’s image and the circulation of AI-generated deepfake ads on YouTube.
Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora, who presided over the case, instructed Google to halt such misleading advertisements. The court emphasized that Google must leverage its technological resources to tackle the issue and, if faced with constraints, provide an affidavit detailing the reasons for any inability to comply.
Furthermore, the court mandated Google and the Isha Foundation to engage in discussions and collaborate towards finding a lasting solution. This initiative aims to prevent the need for the Isha Foundation to continually request the removal of similar content in the future.
During the court proceedings, it was highlighted that Google has a policy in place against the promotion of clickbait ads related to negative life events like arrests or deaths. However, the court observed that this policy was not effectively enforced in the current scenario.
It was also noted that, following intermediary rules, Google is obligated to implement technology-driven measures, including automated tools for proactively identifying and removing content that replicates or resembles material previously removed by court order.
The case stemmed from the persistent dissemination of misleading ads, including false claims of Sadhguru’s arrest, circulated through Google’s video-sharing platform. The Isha Foundation argued that these deepfake ads caused reputational harm and infringed upon their rights.
In an official statement, the Isha Foundation stated that the Delhi High Court directed Google to combat fake ads utilizing AI-generated images of Sadhguru. This directive came after Sadhguru and the Isha Foundation raised concerns about Google’s failure to curb the ongoing misuse of Sadhguru’s identity, image, and videos through deceptive AI deepfake ads on YouTube, including the fabricated arrest ad.
Justice Arora stressed the importance of a technological remedy and requested Google to provide a transparent account if any implementation challenges arise. The court expects Google to offer written clarification if faced with any technical hurdles.