Platforms must also ensure that such content carries clear and prominent disclosures to prevent users from being misled.

Deepfake Crackdown: MeitY Mandates 3-Hour Takedown Window for AI Content

The Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has officially notified landmark amendments to the IT Rules, 2021, aimed at curbing the spread of deepfakes and deceptive AI content. Starting February 20, 2026, social media intermediaries are legally mandated to remove any flagged synthetic or AI-generated material within a strict three-hour window. This sharp reduction from the previous 36-hour deadline highlights the government’s urgency in addressing digital impersonation and misinformation.

The new regulations formally introduce the category of "synthetically generated information", bringing AI-altered visuals and audio under the same legal scrutiny as other unlawful content. While the rules exclude routine editing and educational design, they demand that all AI-created media be embedded with permanent, unremovable metadata. Platforms must also ensure that such content carries clear and prominent disclosures to prevent users from being misled.

"The notification calls for a crackdown on illegal AI content, mandating that platforms deploy automated detection systems to block deepfakes involving sexual exploitation, impersonation, child abuse, or the fabrication of documents. Additionally, the government has made AI labels permanent, strictly prohibiting intermediaries from removing or hiding AI labels and metadata once they are attached to synthetic media."

Source: The Tribune