Google makes it easier to report non-consensual images as India tightens online rules | Technology News

Google’s announcement came on the same day that the Indian government notified a new regulatory framework for social media companies and online platforms.

As per the amendments notified by the IT Ministry to the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, online platforms must now remove non-consensual intimate imagery within two hours, as opposed to 24 hours earlier. Other forms of unlawful content have to be taken down within three hours, from an earlier requirement to act on it within 36 hours.

The new rules also require mandatory labelling of AI-generated content on social media platforms such as YouTube, Instagram, and Snapchat. While the draft rules had required that the label added to AI-generated content should cover at least 10 per cent of the space, the newly notified rules only require such labels to be “prominently” visible.

Non-consensual explicit imagery has proliferated with the rise of generative AI. Earlier this year, Grok, the AI chatbot service developed by Elon Musk-owned xAI, drew the ire of regulators around the world, including in India, by enabling users on X (formerly Twitter) to easily generate non-consensual, sexually explicit images based on real photos of people on the social media platform.

“We understand that removing existing content is only part of the solution. For added protection, the new process allows you to opt-in to safeguards that will proactively filter out any additional explicit results that might appear in similar searches,” Google said in its blog post.

Users will also be able to track the status of all their removal requests under the ‘Results about you’ tab. They will also receive email notifications when there is a change in the status of their removal requests. Additionally, Google said it will direct users who submit a removal request to “expert organizations that provide emotional and legal support.”

Snapchat, OpenAI announcements

Expanding its existing ‘Home Safe’ feature that lets users notify friends and family when they have arrived home safely, Snapchat said it will now allow users to send additional alerts after they reach other locations as well.

“Arrival Notifications now work for everyday moments — like letting someone know you’re back for the night while traveling, or automatically sharing when you arrive at a weekly class, practice, or meeting — without needing to remember to send a message,” the company wrote in a blog post.

Meanwhile, OpenAI said it is taking steps to strengthen protections for Indian teens through age prediction, age-appropriate policies, and parental controls by working with policymakers, regulators, educators, and child safety experts.

It further highlighted safeguards already available to ChatGPT users, including in-app reminders to take breaks, directing users to real-world resources if they express suicidal intent, and preventing the use of ChatGPT to generate child sexual abuse material (CSAM) and child sexual exploitation material (CSEM). Stating that it prioritises safety ahead of privacy and freedom, OpenAI said, “The way ChatGPT responds to a 15-year-old should differ from the way it responds to an adult […] This approach is especially important in India: as AI adoption accelerates, AI literacy needs to be taught alongside other areas of education.”