Government’s new IT rules make AI content labelling mandatory; give Facebook, Instagram and other platforms 3 hours for takedowns

The government has brought AI-generated content—deepfake videos, synthetic audio, altered visuals—under a formal regulatory framework for the first time by amending India’s IT intermediary rules. Notified via gazette notification G.S.R. 120(E) and signed by Joint Secretary Ajit Kumar, the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026, take effect from February 20.

The core ask is simple. Platforms must label all synthetically generated information (SGI) prominently enough for users to spot it instantly.