The Government of India has issued new rules that require major social media companies to take down unlawful or harmful content within three hours after being notified by authorities. Previously, platforms had up to 36 hours to respond.
The changes, published (PDF) on February 10, 2026, as amendments to India’s 2021 IT Rules, which give official power to order the removal of content that violates local laws, including material that might threaten public order or national security. Under the updated deadlines, if companies fail to remove flagged content in time, they could face legal consequences.
In addition, the rules also tighten requirements around AI-generated content. Platforms must now ensure such content is clearly labelled so users can identify when it has been created or altered by artificial intelligence.
The new enforcement timeline is set to take effect from February 20, 2026. It reflects a broader push by New Delhi to tighten oversight of online speech and misinformation in a country with more than one billion internet users.
Critics including digital rights advocates and industry representatives have warned that the three-hour window may be impractical and could lead to over-blocking or censorship, especially without clearer legal safeguards or consultation.
