India’s government proposes amendments to accelerate removal of unlawful AI-generated content, introduce stricter labelling, and enhance platform accountability, marking a significant push in global AI governance efforts.
India’s government has moved to tighten oversight of social media platforms and artificial intelligence-generated content, proposing amendments that would force companies to act much faster against unlawful material and deepen their accountability under the Information Technology Rules. According to Business Today, the draft changes would reduce the removal deadline for illegal AI-generated content from 36 hours to 3 hours, while also requiring clearer labels on synthetic material and stronger action against deepfakes.
The proposal reflects a broader regulatory push that has gathered pace this year. In February, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology notified amendments aimed at curbing AI-generated content and deepfakes, with platforms required to remove unlawful material within 3 hours, label AI content and improve grievance handling. Reporting from Livemint and The Times of India said the rules also sharpened obligations around platform responsibility, signalling that the government expects faster intervention when harmful content circulates online.
Gadgets 360 reported that the February amendments also introduced clearer definitions of AI-generated deepfake content and removed an earlier requirement that AI labels cover 10% of online content. The same report said users who repeatedly violate the rules may face account suspension. That points to a more interventionist approach, one that goes beyond disclosure and pushes platforms towards active enforcement.
The Indian move comes amid wider international efforts to manage synthetic media. In June, the European Commission published voluntary rules for labelling AI-generated or AI-manipulated content ahead of the AI Act taking effect in August, while Ireland’s media regulator has urged tougher restrictions on AI systems capable of producing intimate imagery without consent. For India, the message is clearer: digital platforms operating in the country are expected to comply with Indian law, and the latest draft suggests that expectation is becoming more exacting.
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