I. Introduction
The digital ecosystem has changed because to the rapid spread of
generative AI technologies, which can produce incredibly realistic
text, images, audio, and video material. These developments
resulted in new forms of harm, such as deepfakes, impersonation,
misinformation, non-consensual intimate images, and other malicious
applications that can undermine individual rights, public trust,
democratic processes, and social cohesion, even as they facilitate
creative expression, innovation, and economic opportunity.
The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital
Media Ethics Code) Amendment Rules, 2026 ("IT Rules 2026"
or "Amendment Rules") were announced by India's
Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on
February 10, 2026, in response to this changing threat landscape.
Enforcement of these regulations will begin on February 20,
2026.
