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The Indian government has proposed a new framework requiring artificial intelligence and social media platforms to clearly label AI-generated content, in a bid to curb the spread of deepfakes and misinformation amid growing concerns over online safety and election integrity.
Announced on Wednesday, the draft rules mandate that all AI-generated visuals carry visible markers covering at least 10% of the display surface, while audio clips must include similar disclosure for the first 10% of their duration. The measures aim to enhance transparency and traceability for synthetic content across major platforms such as OpenAI, Meta, Google, and X (formerly Twitter).
The proposal, issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), said the rules would “ensure visible labelling, metadata traceability, and transparency for all public-facing AI-generated media.” Platforms will also be required to obtain user declarations confirming whether uploaded content has been created using AI tools and to implement technical mechanisms to verify authenticity.
The draft policy follows similar regulatory moves by the European Union and China, positioning India among the first countries to propose quantifiable labelling standards for AI-generated content. Experts described the rule’s 10% visibility threshold as a global first.
“The rules about covering 10% of the surface area are among the first explicit attempts globally to prescribe a quantifiable visibility standard,” said Dhruv Garg, founding partner of the Indian Governance and Policy Project.
The government cited the growing misuse of generative AI tools to spread misinformation, impersonate individuals, and influence elections. “The potential for misuse to cause user harm, spread misinformation, manipulate elections, or impersonate individuals has grown significantly,” the IT ministry said in a statement.
India’s move comes as the country — home to nearly 1 billion internet users — faces increasing risks from AI-generated deepfake videos and manipulated media, particularly during politically sensitive periods. Courts in New Delhi are already hearing high-profile deepfake cases, including petitions by Bollywood actors Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who have accused YouTube of violating their intellectual property rights through AI-generated videos.
Industry stakeholders and the public have been invited to submit feedback on the draft framework by November 6. If approved, the policy would require AI developers and social media platforms to embed automated labelling and metadata tagging systems to mark synthetic content at the point of creation.
India has rapidly emerged as one of the largest global markets for AI platforms, with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman noting earlier this year that India is the company’s second-largest user base, with usage having tripled over the past year.
The proposed rules signal New Delhi’s intent to strike a balance between AI innovation and digital accountability, as the country moves toward establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for emerging technologies under its forthcoming Digital India Act.
Announced on Wednesday, the draft rules mandate that all AI-generated visuals carry visible markers covering at least 10% of the display surface, while audio clips must include similar disclosure for the first 10% of their duration. The measures aim to enhance transparency and traceability for synthetic content across major platforms such as OpenAI, Meta, Google, and X (formerly Twitter).
The proposal, issued by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), said the rules would “ensure visible labelling, metadata traceability, and transparency for all public-facing AI-generated media.” Platforms will also be required to obtain user declarations confirming whether uploaded content has been created using AI tools and to implement technical mechanisms to verify authenticity.
The draft policy follows similar regulatory moves by the European Union and China, positioning India among the first countries to propose quantifiable labelling standards for AI-generated content. Experts described the rule’s 10% visibility threshold as a global first.
“The rules about covering 10% of the surface area are among the first explicit attempts globally to prescribe a quantifiable visibility standard,” said Dhruv Garg, founding partner of the Indian Governance and Policy Project.
The government cited the growing misuse of generative AI tools to spread misinformation, impersonate individuals, and influence elections. “The potential for misuse to cause user harm, spread misinformation, manipulate elections, or impersonate individuals has grown significantly,” the IT ministry said in a statement.
India’s move comes as the country — home to nearly 1 billion internet users — faces increasing risks from AI-generated deepfake videos and manipulated media, particularly during politically sensitive periods. Courts in New Delhi are already hearing high-profile deepfake cases, including petitions by Bollywood actors Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, who have accused YouTube of violating their intellectual property rights through AI-generated videos.
Industry stakeholders and the public have been invited to submit feedback on the draft framework by November 6. If approved, the policy would require AI developers and social media platforms to embed automated labelling and metadata tagging systems to mark synthetic content at the point of creation.
India has rapidly emerged as one of the largest global markets for AI platforms, with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman noting earlier this year that India is the company’s second-largest user base, with usage having tripled over the past year.
The proposed rules signal New Delhi’s intent to strike a balance between AI innovation and digital accountability, as the country moves toward establishing a comprehensive regulatory framework for emerging technologies under its forthcoming Digital India Act.
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