The Delhi High Court has disposed of a petition filed by TV Today, the media conglomerate owning Aaj Tak and India Today news channels, which highlighted the misuse of deepfake technology. The court directed the media house to submit its suggestions on the issue to a Committee set up by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITy).
A division bench consisting of Chief Justice DK Upadhyaya and Justice Tushar Rao Gedela noted that the issue of deepfake misuse is already under the Committee’s consideration and is also a subject of ongoing court proceedings in a batch of petitions scheduled for hearing on July 23.
"We direct that if the petitioner has any suggestions to give, the same may be forwarded to the Committee within 10 days from today," the Court stated in its order, emphasizing that the recommendations of TV Today would be duly considered by the Committee while formulating a policy for regulating deepfakes.
The Court also highlighted the importance of avoiding multiple litigations on the same issue and clarified that while the current petition stands disposed of, TV Today is free to seek impleadment in the pending petitions if necessary.
TV Today had approached the High Court seeking directions for the Union Government to establish a comprehensive mechanism under the Information Technology Act (IT Act) or any other relevant law to prevent the misuse of deepfake technology and impose appropriate penal actions.
The Court, in an earlier hearing in November last year, had acknowledged the government’s steps in addressing the issue by forming the MEITy Committee. It also recognized the difficulties caused to the general public due to delays in detecting and regulating deepfake content.
The Court had directed the Committee to take into account the suggestions made by the petitioners before it, including those from TV Today.
According to a status report submitted by MEITy on March 24, the Committee has already conducted two meetings to deliberate on the matter. The Central Government, through its counsel, informed the bench that further discussions are required by the Committee, and a three-month period was granted for the same.
The High Court’s recent direction allows TV Today to contribute its insights and suggestions to the Committee, which is expected to play a critical role in shaping the regulatory framework for deepfake technology in India.
Title: TV Today v. Union of India
