In a major step to curb the misuse of generative AI and deepfake technologies, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on October 22, 2025, released draft amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. These changes aim to bring greater transparency and accountability to how synthetic content is created and distributed online.
The draft provides a clear definition of “synthetically generated information,” covering content created, modified, or altered by computer resources in such a way that it appears authentic or true. Platforms—especially those classified as “significant social media intermediaries” (SSMIs) with over five million registered users in India—must now ensure that any synthetic content is prominently labeled or embedded with a permanent unique metadata or identifier.
For visual content, the identifier must cover at least ten percent of the display area; for audio, it must occur within the initial ten percent of duration. The identifier must not be alterable, suppressed, or removed.
In addition, platforms that enable the creation or modification of synthetic content must adopt technical measures to verify and declare whether uploaded content is AI-generated. The aim, MeitY stated, is to maintain an “open, safe, trusted and accountable Internet” while addressing the amplification of misinformation, impersonation, and election manipulation enabled by generative AI.
The compliance obligations fall heavily on SSMIs, which under the 2021 rules are intermediaries with more than five million users in India. These platforms already face enhanced due-diligence requirements; the draft rules would bring further burdens around labeling and traceability of AI-generated content.
MeitY has invited stakeholder feedback on the draft until November 6, 2025, via email. Once finalized and formally notified, these amendments could become a pivotal piece of India’s regulatory architecture for digital media and emerging AI technologies. At a time when India is still shaping broader AI governance frameworks, these rule amendments mark a concrete regulatory move to keep pace with generative AI and deepfake risks.
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