Key highlights
- Labels aren’t about shaming AI — they’re about protecting viewers from deception.
- India is actively discussing visible/audible labelling and metadata embedding for synthetic media. MeitY
- The real win: faster detection, cleaner platform accountability, fewer “I didn’t know” excuses. MeitY+1
In a healthy culture, people can enjoy fiction without being lied to. That line is now blurry, because synthetic voices and faces can be convincing enough to hijack trust.
So yes — authenticity labels are not a cosmetic idea. They are the seatbelt of the next internet.
India’s policy direction is unusually specific here. MeitY’s proposed amendments on synthetically generated information talk about mandating labelling, visibility, and metadata embedding — including requirements that labels be prominently displayed/audible, with measurable thresholds (like occupying a portion of the visual surface area, or appearing in the early segment of audio).MeitY
Why does this matter to you? Because in 2026, the cost of confusion is not just embarrassment. It’s reputation damage, financial fraud, and public panic. Labels reduce plausible deniability for creators who want to “borrow realism” while escaping responsibility.
Common myths to kill quickly:
- Myth: Labels will kill creativity.
Reality: Labels don’t stop creation; they stop deception. - Myth: “Only political content needs labels.”
Reality: The everyday harm is often personal: fake endorsements, fake intimate clips, fake family voice calls.
The most realistic future is not “everything labelled perfectly.” It’s a layered system:
- Creator-side disclosure (this is synthetic / modified).
- Platform-side enforcement (don’t remove or hide labels; verify declarations). MeitY
- Metadata/provenance tools so investigators can trace origin faster.
Trust is a currency. AI can print counterfeit trust at scale. Labels are the minimum tax we need to impose on that printing press.
Official reference: MeitY proposed amendments on synthetically generated information
