India's New IT Rules: Social Media Giants Grapple with Ambiguous AI Edit Exemptions

• India's updated IT Rules define "synthetically generated information" (SGI) to combat AI manipulation, but create a grey area with undefined "good-faith edit" exemptions.
• SGI includes AI-created or altered content appearing real, while routine edits lack clear specification, especially for AI-powered beauty filters and AR effects.
• Legal experts like Sonam Chandwani and Harsh Walia emphasize that classification depends on the alteration's extent and its potential to mislead viewers.
• Basic adjustments like color correction are likely routine, but transformative filters materially changing appearance or enabling impersonation could be classified as SGI.
• Livestreaming complicates the issue due to real-time content generation, raising questions about platform responsibility for built-in AI tools and disclosure requirements.