India Tightens Social Media Content Takedown Rules

India's government has significantly amended its 2021 IT rules, now requiring social media companies to remove unlawful content within three hours of notification, a drastic reduction from the previous 36-hour timeline. This change, effective February 20, poses a major compliance challenge for global technology giants such as Meta Platforms, Alphabet Inc.===YouTube, and Twitter. The move is part of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration's ongoing efforts to control online speech and content, drawing criticism from digital rights advocates. While a proposal for strict AI-generated content labeling was relaxed, the overall tightening of regulations reflects a global trend of governments demanding greater accountability from social media platforms.