AI-Generated Video making False Claims about Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, ordered to be taken down by Delhi HC

AI-Generated Video making False Claims about Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, ordered to be taken down by Delhi HC

The content was entirely AI-generated and had been widely distributed and had got over 20,000 views on Instagram, IHCL submitted.

Meta Platforms, the parent company of Instagram, has been directed by the Delhi High Court to take down an artificial intelligence (AI)-generated video that spread false and defamatory allegations against the Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur.

It started with a video posted on the Instagram account Travelagio by an unidentified user which falsely claimed that the Taj Lake Palace staff had poisoned wealthy guests in 2018 and the incident had been covered up.

The Court was approached by the Indian Hotels Company Limited (IHCL), a Tata Group enterprise, and owner of the Taj Hotels chain, seeking an injunction to restrain the distribution of the video. The content was entirely AI-generated and had been widely distributed and had got over 20,000 views on Instagram, IHCL submitted.

IHCL submitted that the video contained fabricated and misleading information, aimed at damaging the hotel’s reputation, and eroding public confidence.

The video in question was false and prima facie slanderous, Justice Manmeet Pritam Singh Arora observed, noting that the circulation of such fabricated content directly infringes upon IHCL’s reputation and grossly misrepresents its property, Taj Lake Palace, Udaipur, before the public.

The continued dissemination of morphed and fictitious material would cause irreversible harm to the plaintiff’s goodwill and brand equity, the Court further held.

Ms. Shwetasree Majumdar, advocate appearing for IHCL, submitted that the Taj brand, established in 1903 with the opening of the Taj Mahal Palace, Mumbai, enjoys global recognition and heritage value. Both the Taj Lake Palace and Taj Falaknuma Palace were recently awarded three Michelin Keys for their excellence; she noted. She argued that the video in question not only belittled the Taj trademarks but also deceived the public and exploited the brand’s reputation to generate social media traction.

The defendant had employed AI tools and text-to-speech technology to hide their identity and create a deceptive narrative, the Court noted.

The Court in its interim order, restrained the defendant from broadcasting, posting, or sharing the video in question or any similar material that belittles the Taj Hotels brand or infringes its trademarks. The Court directed Meta Platforms to remove the video within thirty-six hours, disclose the Basic Subscriber Information (BSI) of the user to IHCL to facilitate the issuance of summons, and take appropriate steps to prevent re-uploading of the same or similar content.