New Delhi, Oct 22: To tackle the growing menace of deepfakes and AI-generated misinformation, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has released draft amendments to the IT Rules, 2021, proposing mandatory labelling, metadata tagging, and stricter accountability for digital platforms hosting or creating synthetic content.
The ministry said the draft aims to strengthen due diligence obligations for major social media platforms such as Meta and for intermediaries that allow users to create or alter synthetically generated information. “Such content can be weaponised to spread misinformation, damage reputations, manipulate elections, or commit financial fraud,” the ministry’s note warned.
Under the proposed amendments, social media intermediaries with more than 50 lakh users will have to obtain a declaration from users confirming whether their uploads are synthetically generated. Platforms will also be required to label AI-created images, videos, and audio with prominent visual or audible indicators covering at least 10 per cent of the display or duration.
A new clause in the draft defines synthetically generated information as content “artificially or algorithmically created, generated, modified or altered using a computer resource, in a manner that appears reasonably authentic or true.” The draft further prohibits intermediaries from modifying or suppressing such labels once attached.
The ministry said these proposed rules are designed to promote transparency and public trust amid the rapid rise of generative AI. “The amendments seek to promote user awareness, enhance traceability, and ensure accountability while preserving innovation in AI-driven technologies,” it noted.
Feedback and comments on the draft amendments will be accepted until November 6, 2025.
