The Indian government has issued fresh directions to social media companies, tightening oversight around AI-created content. Under the new order, social media platforms must clearly mark all material generated using artificial intelligence and ensure it carries built-in identifiers that cannot be altered or erased later. The rules also prevent platforms from allowing users or creators to remove or hide these AI labels or the related metadata once applied. To reduce misuse, companies have been instructed to deploy automated systems capable of detecting and stopping the spread of unlawful, misleading, or sexually exploitative AI-generated material.
In addition, social media firms must actively educate users about the risks and penalties linked to AI misuse. The Modi government has mandated that such cautionary messages be shown at least once every three months, reinforcing accountability and awareness across digital platforms.
These fresh guidelines arrive as stress grows over the massive rise of AI-driven deepfakes across popular social media platforms such as X, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. These directions expand on draft changes floated last month by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology to the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021.
The proposed amendments define what counts as audio, visual and audio-visual information, along with synthetically generated content. This includes AI-created or AI-altered material that looks real. However, basic editing, accessibility improvements and genuine educational or design work are kept outside this definition.
One of the key changes is that synthetic content will now be treated as “information” under the IT rules. This meansAI-generatedmaterial will be judged in the same way as other content when deciding whether it is illegal.
As per a gazette notification from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology, social media platforms must now act on government or court orders within three hours, down from 36 hours earlier. Timelines for handling user complaints have also been shortened.
The proposed amendments aim to make users explicitly declare when they upload content created or altered using artificial intelligence, while also pushing tech giants to adopt systems that can verify these disclosures. In response, several social media companies have already introduced options that let users tag posts as AI-generated or AI-modified.
GetLatest Newslive on Times Now along with Breaking News and Top Headlines fromTechnology Scienceand around the world.
Sparsh has been diving deep into the worlds of technology, science, and gaming for Times Network, bringing readers the latest updates and insights. Hi...View More
Source: India Latest News, Breaking News Today, Top News Headlines | Times Now
