The Government of India has tightened the rules for online platforms regarding AI generated content including Deepfake. Under this, platforms like microblogging platform X and Instagram will have to remove AI content from the platform within three hours after receiving instructions from the courts. The government has made amendments in the Information Technology Rules, 2021, the new rules will come into effect from 20 February 2026.
Social media platforms will now have to act on government or court orders within 3 hours instead of 36 hours. Apart from this, the time limit for redressal of user complaints has also been reduced.
Some things are excluded from these new rules, such as general editing, improving any content, and educational or design work done in good faith.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has informed in the notification that the major changes include treating artificial content as information. AI content will be treated at par with other information for determining illegal activities under IT rules.
Under the rules, mandatory labeling of AI content is necessary. Platforms that facilitate the creation or sharing of fake content must ensure that such content is clearly and prominently labelled. Where technically possible, it should be combined with persistent metadata or identifiers. It has also been informed in the notification that intermediaries (platforms) cannot give permission to hide or remove AI labels once they are placed.
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