India Social Media Takedown Rules Tighten Deadline
India social media takedown rules now require platforms to remove illegal content within three hours. Earlier, companies had 36 hours to act. The updated guidelines will take effect on 20 February. They apply to Meta, YouTube, X, and other major platforms. In addition, the rules cover AI-generated material. The government has not explained the shorter deadline. However, critics fear the move could expand online censorship. India has over a billion internet users. Therefore, the impact could be wide. Authorities have already used IT laws to block content. Officials often cite national security and public order. According to reports, more than 28,000 links were blocked in 2024.
New AI Labelling and Compliance Concerns
The rules also define AI-generated content for the first time. This includes deepfakes and altered audio or video. However, normal editing and accessibility tools are excluded.
Platforms must clearly label AI-created material. They must also add permanent markers where possible. Companies cannot remove these labels later. In addition, firms must use automated tools to detect illegal AI content. This includes impersonation, false documents, and harmful material. As a result, companies may rely heavily on automation.
Digital rights groups have raised concerns.
The Internet Freedom Foundation warned about “rapid fire censors.” Experts say three hours leaves little room for human review. Some analysts support AI labelling for transparency. However, they caution that tamper-proof tools are still evolving. Therefore, implementation may prove difficult. The debate over digital regulation in India continues. Many observers now watch how platforms respond.
