The petition filed by Salman seeks comprehensive protection of his personality and publicity rights.
Salman Khan Moves Delhi HC; Court Orders Social Media Firms to Act in 3 Days
On Thursday, the Bollywood superstar approached the Delhi High Court to seek legal protection against the unauthorised use of his personality attributes by various digital platforms. The court directed social media intermediaries and related platforms to respond to his complaint and take appropriate action within three days. The order comes amid rising concerns about misuse of celebrities’ identities online, according to the petition, which misleads consumers and exploits public figures’ reputations for profit.
The petition filed by Salman seeks comprehensive protection of his personality and publicity rights. It focuses on restraining social media platforms, websites, e-commerce companies and other entities from using his name, image, voice, likeness and other identifiable attributes without consent. It alleges such exploitation infringes on his rights and also creates a risk of confusing or misleading members of the public, potentially diminishing his brand value.
During the hearing, the Delhi High Court presided over by the bench made clear that intermediaries named in the matter must acknowledge and act upon the complaint within a strict three-day window. A detailed interim restraining order addressing all other impleaded entities, including unnamed or “John Doe” defendants, is expected to follow soon.
Salman highlighted in his plea that the unauthorised commercial use of his persona had a damaging effect on his personal image and also on consumers, who might be misled into believing he endorses products or services without his approval. The petition positions the relief sought as both a defence of his commercial and personality rights and a safeguard against deceptive marketing practices exploiting his fame.
This legal action places Salman among a growing number of public figures seeking judicial intervention to curb online misuse of their identity. Several other well-known celebrities have similarly approached the courts to protect their publicity rights, reflecting wider industry concerns about digital impersonation and unauthorised reputation exploitation.
The court’s three-day directive highlights its urgency in addressing how digital platforms manage complaints about misleading or unauthorised use of high-profile personalities on the internet.
Source: Hindustan Times
