India is considering stricter obligations for social media platforms to deal with AI-generated deepfakes and other unlawful synthetic content. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has released draft amendments to the IT Rules that propose reducing the takedown period for unlawful AI-generated content from 36 hours to just 3 hours after a valid notice.
The proposed rules would also require platforms to clearly label content created or modified using AI. Images, videos, audio clips and other AI-generated or altered material would need visible labels, along with metadata that can help trace the content’s origin.
Key changes proposed under the IT Rules
3-hour AI content takedown: Platforms would have to remove unlawful AI-generated deepfakes within 3 hours of receiving a valid notice, compared with the existing 36-hour timeline.
Mandatory AI labelling: Platforms would need to clearly identify AI-generated or modified content so users can distinguish synthetic media from authentic material.
Stricter action against deepfakes: Platforms would face stronger requirements to tackle AI-enabled impersonation, child sexual exploitation and abuse material, non-consensual intimate images and other harmful or illegal AI-generated content. They would also be expected to proactively detect and prevent the creation or distribution of such material.
Faster complaint resolution: The proposed rules would reduce the deadline for handling most user complaints from 72 hours to 36 hours. Complaints involving impersonation or fake accounts, nudity, sexually explicit material and other harmful content would need to be addressed within 2 hours, compared with the current 24-hour deadline.
Greater platform responsibility: Platforms would have to inform users that sharing unlawful AI-generated content can carry legal consequences. They would also be required to actively identify illegal content instead of only responding after complaints.
To prevent its spread, platforms would need to deploy technical measures such as AI-based moderation systems, automated detection tools and image and video scanning.
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