The Gujarat High Court has sought responses from leading digital platforms as concerns mount over the rapid spread of AI-generated deepfake content. The court directed Meta, Google, X, Reddit and Scribd to clarify how they are addressing the misuse of artificial intelligence across their platforms. ⚖️
A Bench led by Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice D N Ray was hearing a public interest litigation that warned of an alarming rise in synthetic videos and manipulated media circulating online. The petition urged the creation of stronger regulatory guardrails to curb malicious uses of AI technologies.
During proceedings, the court indicated that the challenge is not the absence of laws but rather the uneven enforcement of existing ones. It stressed that meaningful and timely action by intermediaries would be crucial to fulfilling their statutory due-diligence obligations. 📌
Notices were issued asking the platforms to place on record their compliance mechanisms for handling unlawful content. The court also directed them to adhere strictly to takedown requirements and to integrate with the government’s SAHYOG portal, designed to enable real-time coordination between authorities and online intermediaries.
The plea, filed by Vikas Vijay Nair, argued that AI-generated deepfakes pose serious risks to public order, democratic processes, and individual rights. It highlighted how increasingly sophisticated manipulation techniques blur the line between authentic and fabricated content, making detection difficult for ordinary users.
Both the state and the Union government submitted that existing legal frameworks — including the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 — already provide adequate tools. However, they pointed to delayed compliance, limited cooperation, and procedural bottlenecks that allow problematic content to remain online longer than intended.
Government affidavits described recurring challenges faced by enforcement agencies, including slow takedowns, inadequate responses from platforms, and hurdles in executing lawful removal requests. The court noted that the scale and speed of AI-driven content dissemination — often amplified through automated networks and semi-anonymous accounts — heightens risks to public order, financial security, and national interests. 🚨
Taking stock of these submissions, the Bench observed that the core issue appears to be consistent and strict implementation of the existing statutory regime, particularly in ensuring intermediaries uniformly follow due-diligence requirements.
The matter is scheduled for further hearing on May 8.
