MeitY proposes amendments to the IT Rules, 2021 to curb deepfakes and AI misuse in India

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on October 22 released draft amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, aimed at curbing the misuse of generative AI and deepfake technologies.

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The proposed changes introduce the term “synthetically generated information”, defined as any content created, modified, or altered using computer resources to appear authentic.

Platforms, particularly significant social media intermediaries (SSMIs) those with more than five million registered users in India, such as Facebook, YouTube, and Snap, will be required to label such content both visibly and through metadata.

Under the proposed Rule 3(3), any platform that enables the creation or sharing of AI-generated or deepfake content must ensure that the information carries a permanent, unique identifier through metadata, along with a visible or audible label.

For visual media, the label must cover at least 10% of the display surface, while for audio content, an audible identifier must play during at least the first 10% of its duration. The metadata or identifier, MeitY has clarified, must not be alterable, suppressed, or removed.

Additionally, platforms will have to collect a user declaration at the time of upload specifying whether the content is synthetic, and implement technical mechanisms to verify and detect such information. These provisions would apply only to publicly shared content, excluding private or unpublished material.

MeitY said the draft seeks to maintain an “open, safe, trusted and accountable Internet” while addressing growing concerns around misinformation, impersonation, and election manipulation driven by AI-powered tools.

The draft amendments are open for stakeholder feedback until November 6, 2025, via email at itrules.consultation@meity.gov.in , following which MeitY is expected to finalize the framework.