India Tightens Social Media Rules, Orders Sensitive Content Removed in 2 Hours

07/08/2026

NEW DELHI, Aug 7: India has shortened the deadline for social media platforms to remove sensitive online content from 24 hours to just two hours under amended Information Technology (IT) Rules aimed at tackling deepfakes and other AI-generated content, according to a government statement cited by PTI.

The amendments, introduced on February 10, 2026, also require platforms to remove unlawful content within three hours of receiving valid directions from a government authority or court, down from the previous 36-hour limit. Grievance redressal timelines have been reduced from 72 hours to 36 hours, while complaints involving nudity or impersonation must now be resolved within two hours.

The revised rules require significant social media intermediaries, defined as platforms with more than five million users in India, to deploy technical measures, including automated tools, to proactively detect content depicting rape, child sexual abuse, or materially similar content that has already been removed. The government warned that platforms failing to comply with the rules risk losing legal immunity for third-party content under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act and could face further legal action.