Deepfakes and AI-Generated Content: What the 2026 IT Rules Require: An Illustrative Scenario

The example below is a constructed hypothetical, built to show how these rules apply in practice. It does not describe any real person or matter.

The illustrative scenario

The question

The question most people in this position want answered is:

How the general rule applies

The IT (Intermediary Guidelines) Amendment Rules 2026, notified 10 Feb 2026 and in force from 20 Feb 2026, require prominent labelling of AI-generated (synthetic) content on intermediary platforms.

The rules reduced the general takedown window to 3 hours from a court or government order (previously 36 hours), and set a 2-hour window specifically for non-consensual intimate content and deepfakes.

Under rules in force from 20 February 2026, platforms must act within 2 hours for non-consensual intimate content and deepfakes specifically, and within 3 hours for other content covered by a court or government order.

What often gets missed in situations like this

• Assuming a platform will act on an informal report alone — the fast takedown windows apply to properly issued court or government orders.
• Not screenshotting or preserving the content before reporting it, since takedown can now happen quickly.

As noted above, this scenario is a constructed illustration used to explain the general rule — it does not describe a real client, case, or outcome.

For the general rules, see Deepfakes and AI-Generated Content: What the 2026 IT Rules Require and Digital Arrest Scams: How They Work and What the Supreme Court Has Directed.

Where this applies to a live matter, it is usually worth discussing it in a consultation before acting.

This overview is general information, not legal advice. Procedures and local practice can differ, so a specific review of your matter is advisable before acting.