Amendments to IT Rules
The recent amendments to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, significantly reduce the response time for social media platforms and internet intermediaries in handling objectionable content.
Key Changes
- Reduced Takedown Timelines: Platforms are now required to remove unlawful and objectionable content within three hours, down from 36 hours.
- Non-Consensual Imagery: Such content must be removed within two hours, instead of the previous 24-hour window.
- AI-Generated Content:
- All AI-generated and synthetic content must be clearly labeled.
- Platforms must embed permanent metadata or identifiers wherever feasible.
Definitions and Exemptions
- Synthetically Generated Information (SGI): Defined as any artificially or algorithmically created, modified, or altered content using computer resources.
- Exemptions: "Good faith" editing using AI tools is exempt from the SGI definition.
Implications and Expert Opinions
- Compliance Challenges: The new rules significantly increase compliance requirements, especially for large platforms, potentially leading to operational challenges and over-removal.
- Industry Feedback: Some experts see the changes as a more calibrated approach to regulating AI-generated deepfakes.
