The Union Government of India has proposed mandatory labelling of AI-generated content through an amendment to the Information Technology (IT) Rules, 2021.
Background
- The rise of Generative AI has made it easy to create realistic fake images, videos, and voices that can mislead people.
- Such synthetic content has been increasingly used in political propaganda, advertising, and social media manipulation.
- Public figures have raised concerns about misuse of their likeness for false or defamatory material.
Government Initiative
- Mandatory Labelling of AI-Generated Content: Proposed under the IT Rules (2021) to ensure users can identify AI-generated or altered media. The goal is to improve digital transparency and reduce misinformation.
- Implementation Framework: The content will carry disclosure tags or watermarks indicating it was created using AI. Data will be monitored through social media platforms and AI companies.
- Industry Support: Companies like Meta already label AI-generated content on Facebook. The Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) is developing global standards for digital content verification.
Significance
- Helps protect democratic integrity by limiting the spread of false or manipulated information.
- Builds public trust in digital communication by ensuring authenticity.
- Encourages responsible AI innovation with ethical accountability.
Challenges
- Difficulties in detecting and tracking AI-generated content at scale.
- Risk of over-regulation affecting creativity and free expression.
- Need for Parliamentary oversight, as IT Rules are executive instruments, not legislative acts.
Conclusion
Mandatory labelling of synthetic media is a welcome first step toward transparency and accountability in the AI era. However, it must be paired with strong oversight, public awareness, and adaptive regulation to effectively counter the misuse of AI-generated content.
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