India strengthens online safety rules with stricter requirements to combat child sexual abuse material

The Government of India has reinforced its regulatory framework for online safety by introducing stricter obligations for intermediaries under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The measures are intended to improve the detection and removal of child sexual abuse material (CSAM), strengthen protections for children and other users, and address emerging risks associated with AI-generated content.

The announcement follows reports alleging that advertisements linked to child sexual abuse material had appeared on social media platforms. In response, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) sought detailed reports from the relevant intermediaries, while the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) issued notices to the platforms concerned.

India’s Information Technology Act, 2000, already criminalises a range of cyber offences, including identity theft, privacy violations, and the publication or transmission of obscene or sexually explicit material. The accompanying IT Rules require intermediaries to exercise due diligence by preventing users from hosting or sharing unlawful content, including material that is harmful to children or violates existing laws.

Under recent amendments to the IT Rules, intermediaries must remove unlawful content within three hours of receiving a court order or a reasoned notice from the appropriate government authority, significantly reducing the previous 36-hour deadline. Platforms are also required to remove content involving nudity, sexually explicit imagery, or morphed intimate images within two hours of receiving a complaint from an affected individual or their representative.

The revised framework also expands obligations relating to synthetic and AI-generated content. Platforms must clearly label permissible AI-generated material and maintain traceable metadata to help users identify synthetic content. The rules explicitly cover deepfakes, child sexual exploitation material, non-consensual intimate imagery, impersonation, and other unlawful AI-generated content, requiring intermediaries to prevent its dissemination and take prompt enforcement action.

In addition, intermediaries are expected to deploy appropriate technical measures, including automated detection tools, to proactively identify content depicting rape, child sexual abuse, or material that has previously been removed for violating the law. Significant social media intermediaries offering messaging services must also retain the capability to identify the first originator of information in specific cases involving serious offences, including child sexual abuse material, subject to the provisions of applicable law.

Failure to comply with these obligations may result in intermediaries losing the liability protections provided under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, exposing them to potential legal action.

The government has also issued a series of advisories reinforcing these requirements. A December 2025 advisory called on intermediaries to strengthen their content moderation and compliance systems, while a March 2026 advisory addressed abusive and misleading AI-generated content. Additionally, a Standard Operating Procedure published in November 2025 established guidance for victims, online platforms, and law enforcement agencies on responding to the online dissemination of non-consensual intimate imagery.

The measures were outlined by Minister of State for Electronics and Information Technology Jitin Prasada in a written response to the Lok Sabha on 22 July 2026.