India Tightens Social Media Rules to Protect Children Online

India has tightened online safety regulations to protect children and other users, updating the IT Rules and citing the Digital Personal Data Protection Act, 2023. Amendments impose faster takedown timelines for unlawful content (including two- and three-hour windows for certain material), require labeling and traceable metadata for permissible AI-generated content, mandate proactive technical measures to curb CSAM and non-consensual intimate imagery, and restrict targeted profiling of children; the government also reported enforcement actions against OTT platforms and has expanded cyber awareness initiatives, as presented by the Minister for Electronics and Information Technology on July 22, 2026.