Govt cuts illegal content takedown time on social media from 36 hours to 3 hours

In a strong push to rein in the misuse of artificial intelligence online, the Centre has cut the takedown deadline for unlawful social media content from 36 hours to just three hours , making it mandatory for platforms to act almost immediately when flagged. The move comes amid a surge in deepfakes, fake videos, impersonation clips and non consensual imagery spreading rapidly across digital platforms.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology on Tuesday amended the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 , bringing AI generated and synthetic content directly under tighter regulation. The new rules will take effect from February 20, 2026 .

Under the revised framework, any illegal content flagged by courts or the government must now be removed within three hours , a sharp reduction from the earlier 36 hour window. In more sensitive cases involving nudity, sexual acts or exposure of private areas , platforms must act within two hours .

The rules also make clear labelling of AI generated content compulsory . Platforms must embed permanent metadata or identifiers so users can easily recognise synthetic or manipulated media. Once applied, these labels cannot be removed or tampered with.

Officials said the changes were necessary after a rise in AI driven deepfakes, misleading videos and digitally altered images that damage reputations, spread misinformation and even influence public opinion before corrective action can be taken.

Responsibility has been placed not only on platforms such as YouTube and X , but also on AI tool providers like ChatGPT, Grok and Gemini , which must deploy automated tools to prevent illegal, deceptive or exploitative content.

Intermediaries must warn users every three months about penalties for misuse, verify AI content disclosures, and report serious offences, especially those involving children or criminal activity, to authorities.

The government said the aim is simple: faster action, clearer disclosure and stronger accountability so that innovation in AI does not come at the cost of public safety.