Government Strengthens Regulatory Framework to Address AI-Generated Deepfakes

The Ministry of Electronics & IT announced amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, aimed at curbing AI‑generated deepfakes. The changes mandate clear labelling and traceable metadata for permissible AI content, reduce the timeline for removal of unlawful material from 36 to 3 hours, and tighten grievance redressal periods. Intermediaries, especially Significant Social Media Intermediaries (SSMIs), must deploy automated tools to detect and block synthetic content that violates law, including child sexual exploitation and non‑consensual intimate imagery. Non‑compliance leads to loss of exemption under Section 79 of the IT Act. The framework is supported by existing provisions in the IT Act, 2000 and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and coordinated through bodies such as I4C and the SAHYOG portal.