India is tightening digital safety rules by giving social media platforms shorter deadlines to remove harmful content, expanding obligations around artificial intelligence-generated material, and increasing accountability for failures to prevent child sexual abuse and other online harms.

The government has strengthened its rules for social media companies at a time when artificial intelligence (AI) is making it easier to create and spread fake, harmful and misleading content.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) said platforms will now have to act faster against unlawful content, including child sexual abuse material (CSAM), deepfakes and other forms of AI-generated harmful content.

The move follows reports alleging that advertisements linked to child sexual abuse material were being circulated on social media platforms. The government has sought detailed reports from the companies involved, while the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has issued notices to the concerned platforms.

“The IT Rules cast specific obligations on intermediaries to observe due diligence while discharging their duties and shall inform the users of computer resources not to host, display, upload, modify, publish, transmit, update or share any information that is harmful to children, obscene, pornographic, invasive of another’s privacy, insulting or harassing on the basis of gender or violates any law for the time being in force,” the Ministry pointed out.

Under the updated framework, social media intermediaries must remove unlawful content within three hours after receiving a court order or a reasoned notice from the government or its authorised agencies. Earlier, platforms had up to 36 hours to respond to such requests.

The rules also introduce stricter timelines for sensitive complaints. Content involving nudity, impersonation, morphed images or privacy violations must be addressed within two hours of receiving a complaint.

AI-generated content under closer watch

The government has amended the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, to address risks linked to synthetic and AI-generated content. Platforms will now have to ensure that permissible AI-generated content carries clear labels and traceable metadata. This will help users identify content created or modified using artificial intelligence.

The government said these measures are aimed at reducing deception and misuse of AI tools. Platforms will also have to inform users about the legal consequences of creating or sharing unlawful AI-generated material.

The new rules specifically cover AI-generated child sexual exploitation material, non-consensual intimate images and impersonation. Social media companies are required to prevent such content and take quick action when it is detected, the Ministry said.

The government has also asked large social media platforms to deploy technology-based measures, including automated tools, to identify harmful content proactively. These measures will focus on detecting content showing rape, child sexual abuse or previously removed unlawful material.

“IT Rules mandates the Significant Social Media Intermediaries (SSMIs) to take reasonable efforts to deploy appropriate technical measures, including automated tools or other suitable mechanisms, to proactively identify information that depicts any act or simulation in any form depicting rape, child sexual abuse or conduct, whether explicit or implicit, or any information which is exactly identical in content to information that has previously been removed,” MeitY said.

Greater responsibility for platforms

The latest changes increase the responsibility of large online platforms to monitor and manage content on their services. The rules place additional obligations on social media platforms that primarily provide messaging services. Such platforms must enable the identification of the first originator of certain information in cases involving serious offences, including rape, sexually explicit material and child sexual abuse material, when required under the law.

The government said platforms that fail to follow their legal obligations could lose their protection from liability for third-party content under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. Such companies may also face action under existing laws.

The government also pointed to existing legal provisions that deal with online crimes. Under the Information Technology Act, 2000, offences such as identity theft, impersonation, privacy violations and publishing or transmitting sexually explicit content are punishable.

Intermediaries must report offences involving unlawful content, including child sexual abuse material, to the appropriate authorities when required under applicable laws, such as the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, and cooperate with law enforcement agencies.

The latest measures build on earlier government advisories on online safety. In December 2025, the government reminded platforms to strengthen systems against obscene, pornographic and unlawful content. In March 2026, it issued another advisory on abusive, misleading and harmful AI-generated information. The government also introduced a standard operating procedure in November 2025 to tackle non-consensual intimate imagery, including fake or morphed images shared without consent.

As artificial intelligence tools become more widely available, governments worldwide are facing the challenge of balancing innovation with online safety. India’s latest rules place greater emphasis on platform accountability, faster removal of harmful content and stronger safeguards against AI misuse.

Global push grows to regulate social media access for children

India’s move follows a wider global shift. Governments around the world are tightening rules on children’s access to social media as concerns grow over online safety, mental health risks and the impact of algorithm-driven platforms on young users.

France has become the latest country to introduce stricter controls. In July 2026, French lawmakers approved legislation to restrict social media access for children under 15. The move makes France the first European Union country to adopt such a nationwide measure.

The restrictions are expected to be introduced in phases. From September 2026, social media platforms covered by the law will have to prevent children under 15 from creating accounts. The rules are expected to extend to existing accounts from January 2027.

Elsewhere, Australia has already introduced one of the world’s strictest approaches. The country’s landmark social media minimum age law came into effect in December 2025. It requires major social media platforms to take steps to prevent users under 16 from holding accounts.

The Australian rules place responsibility on technology companies rather than children or parents. Platforms that fail to comply can face penalties up to A$49.5 million (US$34.9 million). The law covers major social media services and requires companies to introduce systems to verify users’ ages. The Australian government said the measure was aimed at reducing risks linked to social media use among children and teenagers.

The global debate over children’s online safety is now moving beyond harmful content alone. Governments are increasingly looking at age verification, platform accountability and safer digital design. The issue is becoming more complex with the rapid adoption of artificial intelligence. Regulators are examining how AI-generated content, automated recommendation systems and other digital tools could affect children’s online experiences. As countries adopt different approaches, technology companies are facing growing pressure to make their platforms safer for younger users while addressing concerns around privacy and implementation.