Lok Sabha Question No. 765 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2026-02-04
Subject: Deployment of AI Chatbots and Generative Tools
Ministry: ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY
Asked by: Shri Tanuj Punia, Adv. Adoor Prakash

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 765

TO BE ANSWERED ON: 04.02.2026

## DEPLOYMENT OF AI CHATBOTS AND GENERATIVE TOOLS

## 765.    ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH: SHRI MURARILAL MEENA: SHRI TANUJ PUNIA:

Will the Minister of ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY be pleased to state:

- (a) the number of complaints or grievances received by the Government since January 2025 relating to gender-based harassment, abuse or targeting facilitated through Artificial Intelligence (AI)-generated content on social media platforms, platform-wise;
- (b) whether the Government maintains disaggregated data on complaints involving AI-enabled tools as distinct from human-generated content and if so, the details thereof  particularly  for Rajasthan;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  has  examined  the  deployment  of  AI  chatbots  and  generative  tools  by intermediaries alters their obligations under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021; and
- (d)  the concrete action  plan  of the Government  to effectively check  AI generated misuse, ensure prompt  grievance redressal and safety  of users in future?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR ELECTRONICS AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (SHRI JITIN PRASADA)

- (a)  to  (d):  The  policies  of  Government  of  India  are  aimed  at  ensuring  open,  safe,  trusted  and accountable cyberspace for users in the country.

The Government is cognizant of the risks and harms arising from the misuse of digital technologies including the misuse of social media platforms for online abuse and harassment of women.

The  Government,  after  extensive  public  consultations  with  relevant  stakeholders,  has  notified  the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 ('IT Rules') on 25.02.2021 which were subsequently amended from tim e-to-time to address emerging harms from misuse of technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI).

The IT Rules cast specific legal obligations on intermediaries, including the social media intermediaries to make reasonable efforts to ensure that users of their computer resources do not host, display, upload, modify,  publish,  transmit,  store,  update  or  share  any  information  that  is  obscene,  pornographic, paedophilic, harmful to child, invasive of privacy, insulting or harassing on the basis of gender  or violates any law for the time being in force. The rules also mandate the expeditious removal of such unlawful content within the stipulated timelines.

Significant social media intermediaries are additionally required to deploy technology-based measures, including automated tools or other mechanisms, to proactively prevent the dissemination of unlawful content (rape, child sexual abuse or conduct) and ensure timely compliance with removal requirements, appoint Chief Compliance Officer, Resident Grievance Officer and Nodal Contact person.

Where any information falls within the categories prohibited under this Rule, any user may make a request  to  the  Grievance  Officer  of  the  concerned  intermediary  on  whose  platform  such  unlawful information is made available to the public. Upon receipt of such request, the intermediary must act expeditiously within the timelines prescribed under IT Rules, 2021.

The Ministry has also issued advisories on 26.12.2023 and 15.03.2024 through which intermediaries were reminded about their due-diligence obligations outlined under IT Rules, 2021 and advised on countering unlawful content including malicious 'synthetic media' and 'deepfakes'. A similar advisory was also issued on 29.12.2025.

Failure of the intermediaries to observe the legal obligations as provided in the IT Rules would entail loss of protection under section 79 of the IT Act and the intermediaries shall be liable for consequential action or prosecution as provided under the extant laws.

Recognising the challenges posed by growing misuse of synthetically generated information, including deepfakes, misinformation, and other unlawful content, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has published draft amendments to the IT Rules, 2021 for public consultation on 22.10.2025.

Ministry took note of creation and dissemination of non-consensual intimate imagery on certain social media platforms. Those platforms were directed to immediately cease such services. Government has noted the compliance.

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