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The Delhi High Court has granted interim relief to Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha by directing the removal of five allegedly defamatory and AI-manipulated social media posts targeting him.
The matter was heard by Justice Subramonium Prasad, who observed that while some of the content appeared to cross the line from criticism into prima facie defamation, not all the material cited in the petition met that threshold. Accordingly, the court ordered the takedown of five specific posts while allowing the remaining content to stay online for now. The judge also clarified that the case does not concern personality rights, with detailed reasons to be outlined in the written order.
Represented by senior advocate Rajiv Nayar, Chadha approached the court alleging that a coordinated online campaign used AI-generated, false, obscene, and explicit content to tarnish his reputation and public image. His legal team argued that the posts were widely circulated across multiple social media platforms within minutes, suggesting an organised effort to amplify misleading narratives.
During the hearing, Chadha’s counsel claimed that professional influencer marketing agencies and several social media accounts played a role in rapidly spreading the content, causing serious reputational harm.
Representatives of Meta Platforms, however, argued that several screenshots submitted as evidence were merely newspaper reports or material that did not appear defamatory.
After reviewing the submissions, the court limited its interim relief to content it considered prima facie defamatory.
The case highlights the growing legal challenges posed by AI-generated content and online misinformation. It also reinforces the judiciary’s effort to strike a balance between protecting freedom of expression and safeguarding an individual’s reputation in the digital age. The detailed written order is expected to provide further clarity on the legal framework surrounding AI-driven defamation and online content moderation.
