MeitY IT Amendment Rules 2026: 3-Hour Takedown Rule, AI Labelling Mandate & New Digital Compliance Explained
MeitY IT Amendment Rules 2026 introduce a 3-hour takedown rule, mandatory AI labelling, and stricter platform compliance to combat deepfakes and misinformation in India.
The breaking news is coming up from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY). The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) recently implemented Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026. The notification was released on February 10, 2026 but will be starting from February 20, 2026. The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026 is basically for tightening the AI-generated content (SGI) and platform compliance. The rules are published by the Gazette of India and will be applied across India to all intermediaries, including social media platforms and online gaming entities.
What is Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026?
3-Hour Takedown Rule: Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026 rules are strictly instructed that illegal content must be deleted or removed under 3 hours. Previously, this act was instructed to remove illegal content by 36 hours, now changed and cut down time to 3 hours.
AI Labelling Mandate: It is made mandatory by Synthetically Generated Information (SGI), that the AI-altered or created audio, video, or images have to be clearly labeled, with embedded, non-removable metadata for identifying the sources.
User Warnings: Previously, platforms warned users annually but now they must inform their users every three months.
The aim of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026 is to reduce deepfakes, sexual abuses, contents or materials, any sort of misinformation, and any kind of election tampering by turning reactive to proactive and to increase digital safety.
Importance of Information Technology Amendment Rules, 2026
The Information Technology Amendment Rules, 2026 amendment is important in today’s AI life. Today, AI generated content and deepfakes become a threat to privacy, democracy, and public order. Previous years recorded many serious incidents mentioned to privacy, democracy, and public order. Some of these cases are as follows:
Deepfake Crisis and Personal Dignity: This type of incident has been observed regarding high profile cases of deepfakes and non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII). For reference, Rashmika Mandaana Case (2024) can be granted here as an example. In this situation, this new amendment will help to combat the rapid spread of prohibited content or illegal content. This act further targets Social media platforms, messaging apps, and ISPs along with Large platforms with a high user base (e.g., Meta, X, YouTube), Online Gaming Intermediaries and other platforms that deploy AI, enabling the creation of synthetic or manipulated content.
