New Delhi: The government is preparing to make it mandatory for all AI-generated content shared online or on social media to clearly declare its artificial origin. The move aims to promote transparency and curb the misuse of artificial intelligence, particularly in the spread of deepfakes.

Union Electronics and Information Technology Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said growing concerns about deepfakes have prompted action. “People are using images of prominent individuals to create deepfakes that invade privacy and spread misinformation,” he said.

Under the proposed amendment to the Information Technology (IT) Rules), 2021, the  Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY)has directed that any content generated using AI must be clearly labelled or embedded with a permanent identifier or metadata.

Online platforms and intermediaries will need to deploy technical tools to verify the accuracy of user declarations, ensuring that no AI-generated content is uploaded without disclosure. The AI usage declaration must be prominently displayed on all such content.

Stakeholders have been asked to share feedback by November 6, after which the amendment will be finalized. While MeitY won’t prescribe specific technical standards, it expects companies to adopt “reasonable and proportionate” verification methods.

In a related update, the government has also amended the IT Rules to ensure that notices to social media and internet intermediaries can only be issued by senior officials — at least of joint secretary rank or by police officers not below deputy inspector general (DIG).

The new provision, effective November 15, also requires such notices to cite the legal basis and provide a clear explanation for why the flagged content is considered unlawful.