Personality Rights | Madras High Court Asks Meta And Telegram To Take Down Accounts Unauthorisedly Using Dancer Anita Ratnam's Photos, Audio

Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy, on prima facie assessment, opined that the social media accounts had misused Ratnam's celebrity status for their commercial purpose. Noting that the usage did not fall within fair use, the court directed Meta and Telegram to take down the accounts.

“On prima facie assessment, it appears that the celebrity status and personality rights of the plaintiff have been misused for commercial purposes. It also appears that the use by the unnamed defendants through defendants 1 and 2 would not fall within the fair use exception. Therefore, there shall be an order of interim injunction directing respondents 1 and 2 to take down the links mentioned in paragraph 35 of the plaint. If similar links are identified by the plaintiff and communicated to the first and second respondents, such link shall also be taken down in terms of this order,” the court said.

Anita Ratnam, famous for coining “Neo Bharatam” dance style had approached the Madras High Court stating that some social media accounts had been using her images for luring the public to make financial investments. She also informed the court that her voice had been mimicked, probably using AI by these accounts. The court was informed that the accounts were being run through the platforms of Meta and Telegram.

Ratnam had thus approached the court seeking a John Doe Order to protect her intellectual property.

The court, noting that a prima facie case had been made out, asked the social media platforms to take down the links mentioned by Ratnam in her plea. The court also asked Ratnam to identify similar links and asked the social media platforms to take down such accounts as and when identified and communicated by Ratnam.

Counsel for Petitioner: Mr. M. S. Bharath

Case Title: Dr Anita R Ratnam v. Meta Platforms

Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (Mad) 166

Case No: O.A.Nos.468 to 472 of 2025 and A.No.2251 of 2025 in C.S.(Comm.Div.) No.119 of 2025