Government Strengthens Framework to Counter AI-Generated Deepfakes through Legal Safeguards, Platform Accountability and Citizen Protection

The Ministry of Electronics & IT outlined the legal and regulatory framework to counter AI‑generated deepfakes. Existing statutes such as the Information Technology Act, 2000 (sections 66C, 66D, 66E, 67‑67A, 69A, 79, 78‑80) and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (section 353 and 111) address identity theft, impersonation and misinformation. The IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 impose due‑diligence duties on intermediaries, including labeling of AI‑generated content, rapid removal timelines (reduced to 3 hours for unlawful content), and grievance redressal via the GAC. Amendments dated 10 Feb 2026 further tighten obligations for Significant Social Media Intermediaries, mandating automated detection tools and stricter compliance periods. The government also launched awareness programmes, conducting 6,650 workshops that reached over 11.37 lakh participants, and approved deep‑fake detection projects such as Saakshya and AI Vishleshak.