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The move underscores India’s growing assertiveness as one of the world’s strictest regulators of online content. Platforms are now required to act swiftly in a market of over 1 billion internet users, even as concerns about potential government censorship rise. The government has not provided a specific reason for shortening the takedown window.
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New Delhi: India’s government on Tuesday announced a major tightening of its social media regulations, reducing the timeline for platforms to remove unlawful content from 36 hours to just three hours after being notified.
The new rule, which amends India’s 2021 IT rules, takes effect February 20 and poses a significant compliance challenge for global technology companies like Meta, YouTube, and X.
The move underscores India’s growing assertiveness as one of the world’s strictest regulators of online content. Platforms are now required to act swiftly in a market of over 1 billion internet users, even as concerns about potential government censorship rise. The government has not provided a specific reason for shortening the takedown window.
“It’s practically impossible for social media firms to remove content in three hours,” said Akash Karmakar, a partner at Indian law firm Panag & Babu specializing in technology law. “This assumes no application of mind or real-world ability to resist compliance.”
Thousands of Takedown Orders Already Issued
Meta, X, and Google (YouTube) have not yet commented on the new rules. Social media companies globally face mounting pressure to police content faster and ensure accountability, with governments from Brussels to Brasilia pushing for stricter regulations.
India’s IT rules empower authorities to order the removal of content considered illegal under any law, including those related to national security and public order. Transparency reports indicate that thousands of takedown orders have already been issued in recent years. Meta alone restricted over 28,000 pieces of content in India in the first six months of 2025 following government requests.
“This rule was never consulted with the industry. International standards usually allow a longer timeline,” said a social media executive on condition of anonymity.
AI Content Labelling Relaxed
The amended rules also scaled back a previous proposal regarding AI-generated content. Earlier, platforms would have had to label AI content across 10% of its surface area or duration. The new rule only requires that such content be ‘prominently labelled’, offering platforms slightly more flexibility.
