Startup Originals Team
The Indian government has taken a significant step to tackle the rising threat of artificial intelligence (AI)-generated content such as deepfakes. On October 22, 2025, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) released draft amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 that aim to strengthen regulation of synthetically generated media and ensure greater transparency on digital platforms.
Key Changes Proposed
Defining and Labelling Synthetic Content
The draft introduces a clear definition of “synthetically generated information”, content that is created, modified or altered algorithmically to appear authentic. To enhance visibility of such content, platforms will be required to display a marker covering at least 10 % of the surface area of a visual (or during the first 10 % of playback of an audio clip) marking it as synthetic.
User Declarations & Platform Duties
The rules require users to declare whether uploaded content is AI-generated. Large social media intermediaries (SSMIs) will also need to deploy “reasonable and proportionate technical measures” to verify these declarations. If such declarations or labels are missing, platforms may remove content.
Metadata, Traceability and Accountability
The draft mandates embedding non-removable metadata or identifiers within synthetic media so that tracing is possible. Platforms are barred from modifying or removing these identifiers.
Why the Move?
With the rapid proliferation of generative AI tools, concerns have mounted over deepfakes, impersonation, election interference and online misinformation. India’s nearly one-billion internet-user population makes it especially vulnerable. MeitY notes that current tools struggle to detect these threats early, and legacy moderation approaches are inadequate for the AI-era.
Potential Impact & Industry Reactions
Benefits
- Users will have clearer signals distinguishing real from AI-generated content, aiding informed decisions.
- Platforms will gain legal clarity on their obligations, allowing more structured compliance and safer harbour provisions.
Challenges
- Experts caution that the definition of synthetic content is broad enough to potentially include benign edits or user-generated remixes.
- Technical and operational burdens for platforms: verifying user declarations, embedding identifiers and labelling large volumes of content may prove challenging.
- Risk of overreach: Some worry the regulation could inadvertently curb creative expression, satire or remix culture if applied too rigidly.
Next Steps & Timeline
The draft amendment is open for public and industry feedback until November 6, 2025, after which final rules will be formalised. Platforms, content creators and intermediaries are expected to start preparing their systems for compliance in advance of enforcement.
