MeitY notifies IT Rules to regulate deepfakes and synthetic content

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The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on February 10 notified amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, bringing "synthetically generated information" (SGI), including deepfakes, under the regulatory framework.

The rules require intermediaries to ensure that AI-generated or altered content is labelled or identified, either through visible disclosures or embedded metadata, and that users are informed when content has been synthetically created or modified.

Compared with the draft version released for consultation, the notified rules narrow the scope of what must be flagged.

While the draft defined SGI broadly as any content "artificially or algorithmically created, generated, modified or altered,” the final notification places greater emphasis on content that is likely to mislead users.

Another key change from the draft version is the sharp reduction in takedown timelines. While the draft rules had proposed that intermediaries act on lawful takedown orders within 36 hours, the notified rules mandate that platforms remove or disable access such content within three hours of receiving a government or court order.

Another change is in compliance flexibility. The draft had proposed stricter visible labelling and wider obligations for companies.

The notified says that companies will have to make "reasonable efforts" and allows identification through embedded metadata or other technical means, rather than only visible disclosures.

The notification comes after strong feedback from industry bodies such as IAMAI, Nasscom and the Business Software Alliance, which had cautioned that the draft rules were too broad and risked covering routine digital edits alongside harmful deepfakes. They had urged MeitY to adopt a harm-based approach and narrow the definition of SGI to deceptive or misleading content.