India Strengthens IT Rules Targeting Deepfakes

The Union Government notified the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026 on February 10, 2026, imposing rapid takedowns and mandatory labelling for AI-generated content. The amendment defines "Synthetically Generated Information" and requires three-hour takedowns, embedded provenance metadata, and platform verification, with penalties including loss of Section 79 safe-harbour. The rules aim to curb deepfakes, protect privacy, and strengthen law-enforcement coordination.