Relevance: GS II (Governance) & GS III (Cyber Security) | Source: The Hindu / MeitY Notification

1. The Context: A New Digital Code

The Union Government has notified amendments to the IT Rules, 2021 (effective from February 20, 2026) to tackle the menace of AI-generated misinformation.

  • The Trigger: A sharp rise in “Deepfakes” (realistic AI videos) being used for financial fraud and political disinformation.
  • The Goal: To move from “voluntary compliance” to “mandatory labelling” of all AI-generated content.

2. Key Provisions of the 2026 Amendment

The new rules impose three core obligations on intermediaries (like Instagram, X, YouTube):

  • Mandatory Labelling: Platforms must clearly label any content that is “Synthetically Generated” (AI-made) so a user knows it is not real.
  • Traceability (Metadata): Where technically possible, platforms must embed permanent metadata (a digital fingerprint) into the file to trace its origin.
  • Faster Takedowns:
    • 3 Hours: Time limit to remove unlawful content (e.g., deepfakes threatening public order) after receiving a government/court order.
    • 2 Hours: Time limit to remove highly sensitive content (e.g., non-consensual nudity).

3. Defining “Synthetic Content” (SGI)

The rules introduce a formal definition for Synthetically Generated Information (SGI):

  • Definition: Any audio, visual, or audio-visual information created or modified by a computer that “appears to be real” (photorealistic).
  • Exemption: Routine “touch-ups” (like brightness adjustment or red-eye correction) that do not change the meaning of the image are exempted.

4. Why is this needed? (Data for Mains)

  • Financial Loss: Deepfake fraud is projected to cost India ₹70,000 crore in 2025.
  • Prevalence: Studies show 47% of Indians have encountered AI voice-cloning scams, nearly double the global average.
  • Safe Harbour Risk: If platforms fail to follow these rules, they lose their “Safe Harbour” protection (immunity from legal prosecution) under Section 79 of the IT Act.

UPSC Value Box

Concept / Term Relevance for Prelims
Section 79 (IT Act) Provides “Safe Harbour” (legal immunity) to intermediaries. They are not liable for third-party content unless they fail to remove it upon receiving an order (Actual Knowledge).
Metadata “Data about data.” In this context, it is a hidden digital tag inside a video file that contains details about who created it and which AI tool was used.
C2PA Standard A global open technical standard (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity) that allows publishers to embed tamper-evident labels in media files.

Q. With reference to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026, consider the following statements:

  1. The rules mandate social media intermediaries to label all synthetically generated content that appears to be real.
  2. The rules provide a 24-hour window for intermediaries to remove unlawful content after receiving a government order.
  3. Routine photo editing such as colour correction is strictly categorized as “Synthetically Generated Information” under the new definition.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 1 and 2 only

(c) 2 and 3 only

(d) 1, 2 and 3

Correct Answer: (a)

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