German court bars Spiegel from accusing Christian Ulmen of deepfake videos

The Hanseatic Higher Regional Court (Oberlandesgericht Hamburg) issued a preliminary injunction largely in favor of actor Christian Ulmen, prohibiting the magazine SPIEGEL from suggesting that he produced or disseminated deep‑fake videos of his former wife, Collien Fernandes. The court ruled that the allegation constitutes an unfounded suspicion and noted the lack of supporting evidence. It also ordered SPIEGEL not to quote certain passages from an email Ulmen sent to his former defence lawyer. The court refused to block the magazine’s reporting on separate accusations that Ulmen had physically assaulted his ex‑wife, finding that the request to suppress that part of the story was not justified.

The decision underscores the legal limits on media speculation about deep‑fake technology and personal reputation, and it highlights the court’s balancing of privacy rights against journalistic freedom in a high‑profile defamation dispute.