India, Feb. 11 -- The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITY) on Tuesday set a three-hour deadline for social media platforms to take down any AI-generated and synthetic content flagged by the competent authority or courts. It notified amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, which formally defines AI-generated and synthetic content. The new rules will come into force from February 20, 2026.

Under the old rules, content had to be taken down in 36 hours. User grievance redressal timelines have also been shortened. Calling for ban on illegal AI content, the latest amendment requires platforms to deploy automated tools to prevent AI content that is illeg...