Context: The advisory by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) mandates that intermediaries communicate prohibited content, particularly those specified under Rule 3(1)(b) of the IT Rules, clearly and precisely to users.

News:

• The Indian government issued an advisory to social media platforms regarding compliance with IT rules, specifically addressing concerns about deepfakes. The advisory follows a meeting between officials from companies like Meta, Google, Telegram, Koo, Sharechat, Apple,  HP, and Dell with Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar regarding the threat of deepfakes.
• Social media platforms are mandated to inform users about content not permitted under IT Rules, especially those listed in Rule 3(1)(b), during registration and regularly during logins or information uploads.
• Platforms must ensure users are aware of penal provisions, including those in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the IT Act 2000, in case of Rule 3(1)(b) violations.

  Rule 3(1)(b) within the IT rules' due diligence section requires intermediaries to communicate their rules, regulations, privacy policy, and user agreement in the user's preferred language and prevent the hosting or sharing of specified prohibited content.

• The advisory aims to combat misinformation, deepfakes powered by AI, and to enhance the safety and trust of users on the internet.
• The government nominated an officer to assist users in filing FIRs against social media firms in cases related to deepfakes.