Last Updated:February 10, 2026, 18:20 IST IT Rules 2026 expand regulation to AI-generated content like deepfakes. Social media platforms must label, remove, or restrict deceptive material within timelines or face penalties The rules remove ambiguity on AI-generated material. (AI generated image for representation) The government on Tuesday notified new Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026, issued under the IT Act, 2000, which amend the 2021 rules and apply to all online intermediaries, including social media platforms, messaging services, content-hosting websites and AI-based platforms. The amendments, effective from 20 February 2026, significantly expand the regulatory scope by explicitly bringing artificial-intelligence-generated, synthetic and manipulated content—such as deepfakes, voice cloning and algorithmically altered text, images, audio or video—within the definition of regulated online content. By doing so, the rules remove any ambiguity about whether AI-generated material is covered and treat such content on par with other forms of user-generated information under Indian law. Who are the new rules applicable to? Issued under Section 87 of the IT Act, 2000, these rules amend …