Synthetic Media Gets a Warning Tag in India
Government mandates AI labelling, embeds traceability, and enforces strict 3-hour removal rule.
Synthetic Media Gets a Warning Tag: India Draws the Line on AI Misinformation. The Government of India on February 11, 2026, took a drastic step to ensure the ethical use of AI. It significantly updated the country’s digital content regulations, introducing stringent new rules on artificial intelligence-generated media to combat misinformation, deepfakes, and other harmful synthetic content under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026.
These amendments, notified by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), will come into effect on February 20, 2026 and mark the first time AI-generated content has been brought explicitly under India’s IT rule framework.
(Images : AI)
By- http://indiainput.com desk
At the heart of the new rules is a requirement that all AI-generated or AI-altered content including deepfake videos, synthetic audio, and manipulated visuals must be clearly and prominently labelled so that users can readily recognize it as artificial.
Platforms must attach permanent metadata or unique IDs to trace the origin of AI content, and these labels cannot be removed. Simple edits that don’t change the meaning, like colour correction or noise reduction, are exempt.
#Govt notifies rules for #AI Generated Content.
Okay. 😅 My sleep is sacrificed officially.
These Synthetic content-related amendments by MeiTy are surprisingly – yes – surprisingly – well-placed.
I like that DIGs and not low-rung police personnel are designated to issue… pic.twitter.com/BrRtX9LFPA
— Abhivardhan (@IndusThink) February 11, 2026
The amendment sharply cuts the time to remove harmful content. Instead of 36 hours, platforms must now take down flagged content including deepfakes within 3 hours of a valid government or court notice. In sensitive cases like non-consensual intimate images, the deadline is just 2 hours.
New government rules on AI content
Users must declare if their post is made using AI
Social media platforms must verify this declaration
AI-generated content must have a prominent label
Platforms are responsible for ensuring no unlabeled AI content is published
Stricter…
— Utsav Techie (@utsavtechie) February 10, 2026
Platforms must ask users to declare if their content is AI-generated and use detection tools to check this before it goes live. If they fail to follow labelling or takedown rules, they could lose safe-harbour protection under the IT Act and face legal liability for user-posted content.
India’s move follows rising global concerns over AI misuse and deepfakes used to deceive or harm people. Supporters say the new rules will improve user safety and accountability. However, some tech companies warn that tighter deadlines and added compliance requirements may create operational challenges and spark concerns about content moderation and free expression.
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