"Remove flagged social media contents in 3 hours": Centre cracks whip amid AI generated deepfakes

The government has tightened regulations on the use of artificial intelligence on social media platforms, reducing the deadline to remove flagged content from 36 hours to just three hours. The revised timeline will apply to content identified by authorities as violating local laws and will come into force from February 20, 2026.

The changes are part of amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, notified by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. The updated rules formally define AI-generated and synthetically created content, including audio, visual and audio-visual material that appears real or authentic.

Under the new framework, AI-generated and synthetic content will be treated on par with other information while determining unlawful acts. Social media platforms will also be required to ensure mandatory labelling of AI-generated content, including deepfakes, to improve transparency and accountability.

The rules clarify that routine editing, accessibility-related changes, and good-faith educational or design work will not fall under the definition of synthetic content, drawing a clear line between harmful misuse and legitimate applications of AI.