Just two hours: New IT Rules trim deepfake takedown time
The government on Tuesday notified the amended Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2026, rolling out a significantly tighter compliance regime for social media platforms to curb the spread of deepfakes, non-consensual imagery and other sensitive content across digital platforms such as X, Facebook, Instagram and Telegram.
The new rules will come into effect from February 20. The most consequential change is a sharp reduction in takedown timelines tied to user safety. Platforms are now required to remove non-consensual intimate imagery and deepfake content within two hours of receiving a complaint, compared with a 24-hour window under the earlier framework.
