Bombay High Court Orders Removal of Deepfake Posts Against Nitin Gadkari The Bombay High Court has directed the immediate removal of online deepfake content that was deemed indecent, defamatory, and offensive to Central Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari. The court’s order, issued by Justice Arif Doctor in a single-judge bench, mandated that platforms such as Meta, X Corp, Google LLC, and unknown content creators remove the posts. The ruling emphasized that such material should not be accessible online, particularly for vulnerable groups like young people. The case originated from Gadkari’s legal petition against AI-generated deepfake videos that falsely linked him and his family to the E20 ethanol-blended petrol policy. The videos alleged that the policy provided financial benefits to Gadkari’s family, despite the minister clarifying that the E20 program is managed entirely by the Petroleum and Natural Gas Ministry, not his department. Gadkari had sought the removal of these posts and demanded ₹11 crore in damages for reputational harm. The court’s order granted Gadkari the right to file civil suits against the platforms and content creators responsible for hosting the offensive material. Justice Doctor criticized the platforms for lacking systems to detect and remove such content proactively, stating, “If you have the technology, why don’t you have a system to catch these cases? If someone uploads indecent or defamatory content, it must be removed immediately. This is a very low standard.” The bench also questioned the platforms about their ability to identify and delete harmful posts without court intervention, stressing the need for stricter oversight.#nitin_gadkari #meta #google_llc #bombay_high_court #x_corp
Bombay High Court Orders Meta and X to Remove Offensive Posts Against Nitin Gadkari The Bombay High Court on Wednesday directed social media platforms Meta and X (formerly Twitter) to immediately remove inappropriate content related to Central Minister Nitin Gadkari. The court also mandated that the companies provide details of the users who posted such content. The order came as part of a legal dispute initiated by Gadkari, who alleges that false information about him and his family is being spread online, damaging his reputation. Gadkari filed a petition on July 27, accusing social media platforms of linking him to the E20 ethanol blending program, which he has long advocated for. The petition claims that users are creating offensive comments and memes that falsely associate him with alleged profits from the program. The court emphasized that such content must be removed promptly, even if it is posted in the future. During the hearing, representatives from Meta (Facebook and Instagram) and X Corp (formerly Twitter) were present in court. Justice Arif Doctor, presiding over the single bench, instructed the platforms to ensure that offensive posts are deleted immediately. The judge questioned whether the companies had systems in place to automatically detect and remove such content without requiring a court order each time. He stressed that platforms with advanced technology should have mechanisms to address these issues proactively. The court also granted Gadkari the authority to file a civil case against anonymous users spreading false information about him and his family. The judge highlighted the need for platforms to take responsibility for content moderation, stating that offensive material should be removed without delay.#nitin_gadkari #meta #bombay_high_court #x_corp #e20_ethanol_program
