Deepfake Warning: Govt Tightens Rules On AI Content, Orders Faster Takedowns

In a major policy shift, the government has tightened regulations on AI-generated and synthetic content by bringing it firmly under the IT Rules. The new amendments, notified this week and effective from February 20, mandate clear labels and permanent metadata on AI-created images, videos and audio. Social media platforms and online intermediaries will now be required to act much faster on flagged unlawful content, with takedown timelines reduced to as little as three hours. Platforms must also deploy tools to verify user declarations of AI usage and introduce quicker reporting mechanisms. The move is aimed at curbing the spread of deepfakes, misinformation and harmful synthetic media, especially impersonation and explicit content, while holding tech platforms to stricter compliance and accountability standards.