If a deepfake, impersonating account or non-consensual intimate image of you is posted online, platforms in India are now legally required to remove it within 2 hours of a valid complaint. The government amended the Information Technology Rules, 2021 on 10 February 2026 to sharply tighten takedown deadlines for synthetically generated content, deepfake audio, video, images and text, and to strengthen the grievance process behind it.
How fast must a platform act now?
Two separate deadlines apply depending on what is flagged. For sensitive categories, non-consensual nudity or impersonation, the platform must remove the content within 2 hours of a valid complaint, cut down from the earlier 24-hour window. For other unlawful AI-generated content identified through a valid court order or a reasoned notice from an authorised government agency, the deadline is 3 hours, down from 36 hours under the previous rules.
What about my complaint more generally, not just the urgent takedown?
Separately from those content-specific deadlines, platforms must now acknowledge any grievance within 7 days (down from 15), and resolve complaints relating to content about a specific individual within 36 hours (down from 72 hours). These timelines apply to the broader grievance process, alongside the faster 2-hour and 3-hour removal windows for the most sensitive categories.
What content is covered?
The amendment targets synthetically generated information broadly: deepfake audio, video, images and text. This includes AI-generated impersonation of a real person, non-consensual intimate imagery, and other unlawful synthetic content, whether generated by a large-scale model or a simpler face-swap tool.
What happens if a platform ignores the deadline?
An intermediary that fails to meet these duties risks losing its "safe harbour" protection under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, the provision that normally shields platforms from liability for user-generated content. Once that protection is lost for a specific piece of content, the platform itself can be held directly liable for continuing to host it.
What should I do if I'm the target of a deepfake or impersonation?
File a takedown request with the platform's Grievance Officer in writing, and keep a timestamped record of when you submitted it. If the platform does not act within the applicable window, escalate to the Cyber Crime cell through cybercrime.gov.in or the 1930 helpline, and preserve screenshots and URLs as evidence before the content potentially gets edited or removed by the poster.
Is the government's Fact Check Unit part of this?
No, that's a separate IT Rules provision with its own, currently unresolved status. See is the government's Fact Check Unit still struck down? for the Bombay High Court ruling and the pending Supreme Court appeal.
Disclaimer: This article is for general information only and is not legal advice. Consult a qualified advocate for guidance on your specific situation.
Frequently asked questions
How quickly must a platform remove a deepfake or impersonating post about me?
For sensitive cases, non-consensual nudity or impersonation, platforms must act within 2 hours of a valid complaint. For other unlawful AI-generated content flagged via a court order or a reasoned notice from an authorised government agency, the deadline is 3 hours, down from the earlier 36 hours.
How long does a platform have to acknowledge and resolve my complaint?
Platforms must acknowledge a complaint within 7 days (down from 15), and resolve complaints concerning an individual within 36 hours (down from 72 hours), separate from the shorter 2-hour and 3-hour removal deadlines for specific sensitive or unlawful content categories.
What content does this cover?
Synthetically generated information: deepfake audio, video, images and text, including AI-generated impersonation, non-consensual intimate imagery, and other unlawful synthetic content.
What happens if a platform doesn't comply with the deadline?
An intermediary that fails to meet these duties risks losing the legal protection ordinarily available to it under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, meaning it can then be held directly liable for the content, rather than treated as a neutral platform.
What should I do if a platform ignores my takedown request?
File a complaint with the platform's Grievance Officer in writing, keep records of your original complaint and its timestamp, and if there is no response within the mandated window, escalate to the Cyber Crime cell via cybercrime.gov.in or the 1930 helpline, and consult an advocate about pursuing the platform's Section 79 liability directly.