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Madras High Court Issues John Doe Order Shielding Kamal Haasan’s Persona

The court responded to a petition citing AI deepfakes alongside unauthorized merchandise.

Overview

  • Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy restrained creation and depiction of false or morphed images of Haasan through any media until the next hearing.
  • The order bars sale of merchandise bearing Haasan’s name or image without his consent or endorsement.
  • A carve‑out preserves permissible creative expression, with satire and caricature not restricted by the injunction.
  • Haasan must publish notice of the order in English and Tamil newspapers because the suit includes unidentified John Doe respondents.
  • The case names Chennai firm Neeye Vidai over T‑shirts and other items allegedly implying endorsement, as the broader suit seeks permanent relief against misuse, including through generative AI and deepfakes.