AI-Generated Content: Meity Proposes Continuous Labelling

The ministry of electronics and information technology (Meity) has proposed that all content generated with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) carry 'continuous and clearly visible display' of a label alerting users that the content had been generated using AI throughout the 'duration of the content'.

In an amendment to the Information Technology Rules (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) 2021, the ministry proposed that all social media and Internet intermediaries should ensure that the label for synthetically generated content be not just prominently visible but also be present at all times, irrespective of the content being a photo, audio, text or video.

While proposing this amendment to the IT Rules, the Centre has also extended to May 7 the timeline for stakeholder consultation on the earlier amendment, bringing independent news and current-affairs content holders under its ambit. The timeline for submission of stakeholders' comments on this amendment was already extended to April 29 from April 14 after several objections were raised against the proposals.

In a meeting with industry executives, civil societies and other stakeholders on April 7, senior officials, including IT ministry Secretary S Krishnan had said the proposed amendments to bring independent news and general affairs content creators under the ambit of the ministry of information and broadcasting, were just 'clarificatory' in nature.

"There is a lot more news that is done by users other than registered news publishers. So it was felt that there should be one entity which handles all news and current affairs content, and that should be I&B," Krishnan said.

In the earlier proposed draft amendments, the government had said news and general affairs content creators on platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and X would be brought under the MIB's umbrella.

-- Aashish Aryan, Business Standard