Janhvi, Khushi Kapoor win Delhi High Court protection against obscene online content: ‘How do we draw the line?’

The Delhi High Court has granted legal protection to Bollywood actress Khushi Kapoor against obscene and defamatory content circulating online, as well as unauthorized commercial exploitation of her identity. The court's order, delivered on August 12, comes after Khushi Kapoor petitioned for the safeguarding of her personality and publicity rights.

Justice Jyoti Singh announced that the court will issue a John Doe order, designed to shield Kapoor from unidentified individuals attempting to misuse or profit from her identity. This follows a similar ruling for Khushi's sister, Janhvi Kapoor, who received protection a day earlier against objectionable online material. The court emphasized that not all criticism or discussion about public figures can be censored, stating that restrictions must differentiate between legitimate commentary and content that crosses into obscenity or exploitation.

Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani questioned the limits of personality rights protection in the digital age, acknowledging that criticism and online abuse are inherent in public life, but questioned how to draw the line between acceptable and unacceptable content.