Nitin Gadkari To Sue Meta, X And Google Over E20 Deepfakes

The Bombay High Court on Monday permitted Union Minister for Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari to file a civil suit against major social media platforms, including Meta-owned Facebook and Instagram, X, Google, and unidentified individuals accused of circulating allegedly defamatory content linking him and his family to the Centre's E20 ethanol-blended petrol programme. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) and the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) have also been named as respondents in the matter. The court will consider Gadkari's request for interim relief during the next stage of the proceedings.

The petition alleges that AI-generated deepfake videos, edited clips, and misleading social media posts falsely claim that Gadkari and his family are financially benefiting from the government's E20 initiative. According to the minister, the content is malicious, defamatory, and intended to mislead the public while damaging his reputation. He has sought immediate removal of the disputed material and legal action against those responsible for creating, publishing, and circulating it across digital platforms.

In his plea, Gadkari argued that the allegations are factually incorrect because the Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme, including the E20 initiative, falls under the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas rather than the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways. He maintained that he has no role in formulating, implementing, or administering the E20 policy, making the claims against him and his family baseless. The petition also seeks an injunction to prevent further publication and circulation of similar content online.

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The High Court's order allows Gadkari to formally institute the civil proceedings while leaving the question of interim relief for a later hearing. The case comes amid increasing concerns over the misuse of artificial intelligence to create deepfake videos and manipulated content, which can spread misinformation and damage the reputation of public figures. The proceedings are expected to examine the responsibilities of digital platforms in addressing such content and the legal remedies available to those affected.

The Ethanol Blended Petrol Programme is one of the Government of India's flagship initiatives aimed at increasing the use of ethanol in petrol to enhance energy security, reduce dependence on imported fossil fuels, support the agricultural sector, and lower carbon emissions. As the use of AI-generated content continues to grow, the case is likely to draw attention to the broader challenges of tackling online misinformation, deepfakes, and digital accountability in India.

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