India Cuts Social Media Takedown Window to 3 Hours

India has tightened its grip on social media, mandating platforms to remove unlawful content within three hours of notification, down from the previous 36-hour deadline. The move, part of amendments to the 2021 IT rules, poses compliance challenges for global tech companies like Meta, YouTube, and X. The new rules take effect from February 20.

The updated regulations also ease a prior requirement for AI-generated content labeling. Platforms no longer need to label such content across 10% of their surface area or duration but must ensure it is “prominently labelled.” The changes reflect India’s increasing effort to control online speech, a policy that has sparked clashes with major tech firms.

India’s IT rules allow the government to demand the removal of content considered illegal under laws covering national security, public order, and sexual offenses. Social media companies have already faced thousands of takedown orders, and the new three-hour window aligns with growing global pressure for faster content moderation.

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