Image edited by Dinesh Raj M   If you're one of those news buffs whose main source of news content are social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube, you are likely to have been duped into buying completely fabricated content as genuine news by dubious channels several times in the past, especially when there is a raging controversy. Thanks to the new amendments to IT intermediary rules put out by the central government that brings AI-generated content under formal regulation, such experiences could be became a thing of the past as all AI-generated content need to be explicitly  Filed as G.S.R. 120(E), the changes amend the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 defines synthetically generated information (SGI) as any audio, visual or audio-visual content that is artificially or algorithmically created, modified or altered using a computer resource and needs to be explicitly published for users to identify them

  New rules for AI-generated content will take effect in India on February 20, 2026, and they will  impact brands, agencies, creators and paid ads across major social media platforms. Platforms  will have to ask users if their posts are created or altered by AI and verify those statements  before publishing. Synthetic content that is not properly declared could be restricted, delayed or  rejected.    The rules make AI disclosure mandatory in creator marketing. Any image, video or post  generated or edited by AI must be labelled, and provenance markers should be added where  available. Brands and agencies will need to add AI usage and metadata clauses to their briefs,  contracts and approval processes.    According to Best Media Info, brand safety planning will need to change too, as there will be a  three-hour window for platforms to t

A global restructure has seen Foundry eliminate the majority of its local operational team with up to a dozen redundancies made within the Australian/New Zealand business. Influencing has confirmed that the role of Jon Stubley, Vice President for ANZ has been made redundant, as have nearly all operational roles. It appears the company's content marketing, advertising and all non-Channel editorial will now operate from a centralised global model. Foundry's profitable Channel division has not been impacted, including Editorial Director Cathy O'Sullivan and the ARN/Reseller News editorial teams. The remaining local headcount is believed to be entirely focused on event sales, which is the primary revenue generator for the business. Foundry traces its roots back to the global tech publishing firm IDG Communications and owns venerable tech mastheads, including Computerworld, PC World, CIO and CSO. In 2022, IDG Communications rebranded as Foundry as it moved from a traditiona

India Today will host the Tamil Nadu Round Table in Chennai on February 11, bringing together political leaders and commentators as the state gears up for the 2026 Assembly elections.  Chief Minister M K Stalin will open the event with remarks on governance and development priorities. A multi-party discussion will feature representatives from DMK, AIADMK, BJP, Congress, and Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), examining campaign strategies, language politics, Hindutva, and voter sentiment.  According to Best Media Info, a dedicated women’s panel includes Khushbu Sundar (BJP), Apsara Reddy (AIADMK), and Dr Kanimozhi NVN Somu (DMK), highlighting women’s role in state politics. Swaminathan Gurumurthy, editor of Thuglak, is slated to speak.  Other sessions include ‘The Vijay Factor’, exploring popular culture’s influence on voting, and BJP’s strategy in the south with K Annamalai and Karti Chidambaram. Education and digital governance refo

The South India Journalists Union (SIJU) has strongly condemned the alleged assault on a journalist in Chennai on February 9, calling it a serious threat to press freedom and democratic values. In a statement issued on February 10, SIJU urged the Tamil Nadu government to take immediate action against those responsible. SIJU State President R. Chandrika and State General Secretary R. Kathiravan stressed that journalists play a crucial role in highlighting public issues and serving society, often at personal risk. They said violence against media professionals is unacceptable under any circumstances and demanded a fair, transparent investigation followed by strict legal action. The union also condemned controversial remarks allegedly made by a DMDK functionary during a party meeting, in the presence of Premalatha Vijayakanth, suggesting that journalists could be assaulted inside their homes. SIJU said such statements promote hostility against the media and must be dealt with seriousl

The Press Club of India and DIGIPUB News India Foundation have raised serious concerns over what they describe as growing restrictions on press freedom following the temporary blocking of The Wire’s Instagram account and the removal of a satirical cartoon from multiple platforms. According to DIGIPUB, The Wire published an animated satirical cartoon on February 7 raising questions on parliamentary accountability. On February 9, Meta temporarily blocked The Wire’s Instagram account for nearly two hours and later removed the cartoon. On February 10, the same content was withheld on X in India. While X issued a written notice, Meta did not, and authorities offered no clear explanation on how the content violated any law. The Press Club of India said The Wire received no prior notice from the IT Ministry or any government agency before the takedown. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting later told the publication that it had not ordered the block, calling it an “error” a