The Internet and Mobile Association of India (IAMAI) has strongly objected to the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s (MeitY) draft rules requiring the labelling and tracking of synthetically generated information (SGI), calling them “unimplementable” and likely to disrupt the digital economy. IAMAI argues that existing frameworks such as the IT Act, IT Rules and the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita already provide sufficient authority to tackle unlawful AI-generated content, and that additional rules risk overlap and bureaucratic complications.
The industry’s central criticism is that the draft’s definition of SGI is overly broad and subjective, potentially sweeping in countless day-to-day edits and enhancements used in journalism, advertising, education, research and personal expression. Routine adjustments such as colour correction or noise reduction could be classified as synthetic, while clearly satirical or stylised content might be misidentified as harmful or deceptive.
IAMAI also contends that the draft would impose an unworkable burden on platforms and users. MeitY’s proposal requires every artificial intelligence (AI)-generated upload to be declared by users and labelled with a unique, permanent metadata identifier, with platforms responsible for verifying user declarations and displaying the label prominently. According to IAMAI, current labelling technology is neither reliable nor interoperable, creating enforcement and privacy challenges. The obligations are described as premature, likely to impose heavy compliance costs for limited public benefit, and potentially compromise privacy by exposing personal information unnecessarily. Stakeholder comments have been submitted to MeitY ahead of the government’s review and any further action on the draft.
