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:
- The rules mandate social media intermediaries to label all synthetically generated content that appears to be real.
- The rules provide a 24-hour window for intermediaries to remove unlawful content after receiving a government order.
- 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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