Social media cos may soon label your AI content

Posting that cool image from Nano Banana on Instagram? Soon, the algorithm may start to watch your work, and label your content as AI-generated.

- Shouvik Das

Users will have to declare any AI-based content.

(REUTERS)

India on Wednesday took the first step to regulate the use of AI content on the web, proposing that social media platforms mandate users to declare any AI-generated or AI-altered content.

The ministry of electronics and information technology (Meity) said in draft rules that social media companies will need to post visible AI watermarks and labels across more than 10% of the duration or size of the content. If they don’t label AI content as such, they stand to lose their safe harbour protection—essentially, protection from liability for unlawful user content.

This “raises the level of accountability” for users, companies and the government alike, Union IT minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, noting the explosion of deepfake content. “Enforcement of orders with social media intermediaries will now be done by officers at a designation of joint secretary and above at the central government, and DIG and above in case take-down reports are filed by the police bodies,” Vaishnaw added.

While Big Tech enforces safety guardrails against the use of their platforms to impersonate public figures,