MAM
Interbrand India adds Mahindra to its roster
MUMBAI: DDB Mudra‘s brand consultancy agency Interbrand India has added Mahindra Group to its roster of clients that includes Tata Group and Godrej.
The Interbrand offices in Mumbai and London will carry out the assignment. Mahindra is looking to establish itself as one of the world‘s most valuable brands.
Formed by the transition of Water, the brand strategy and design consultancy of DDB Mudra Group, to Interbrand, Interbrand India offers complete suite of brand consulting services including brand strategy, audit/evaluation, design, brand management and verbal identity. The operation will continue to be located in Mumbai.
Interbrand India MD Ashish Mishra said, “We want Indian companies to realise that brands are not mere logos or slogans but rank among the most important assets a business owns. As the world‘s leading brand consulting firm, our task, quite simply, is to help the Best Indian Brands graduate to Best Global Brands.”
Digital
Election Commission to meet social media platforms on 11 March
Talks focus on tackling misinformation and deepfakes ahead of Assembly polls in multiple states.
MUMBAI: India’s poll watchdog is calling time on deepfake drama because when elections meet AI trickery, even the ballot box needs a fact-check referee. The Election Commission of India will convene senior officials from major social media platforms on 11 March 2026 at Nirvachan Sadan, New Delhi, to discuss the growing challenges of misinformation and deepfakes during elections.
The agenda centres on the “opportunities and challenges” of social media use in the electoral process, with the Commission aiming to develop a framework for its “optimal and responsible” application in line with existing laws. Discussions will cover improved content monitoring, faster responses to election-related complaints, and closer coordination with authorities during campaign periods.
The meeting comes ahead of Assembly elections in several states, including West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Assam and the Union Territory of Puducherry. The rising influence of social media in politics has heightened concerns over manipulated content, including deepfakes, which have been linked to incidents of violence and misinformation in past polls.
In recent elections, political parties and candidates have increasingly used AI tools to create synthetic videos, audio clips and fabricated statements impersonating opponents or falsely showing endorsements. The Election Commission had issued advisories before the 2024 general elections, directing parties to avoid circulating deepfakes and remove misleading material within three hours of detection, citing provisions under the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and the Information Technology Act, 2000.
The consultations follow earlier engagements with tech companies and reflect broader policy debates on regulating AI-generated content. Amendments to the IT (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021 shortened the removal timeline for unlawful content from 36 hours to three hours, a change that has drawn criticism from industry players for leaving limited room for careful legal and factual review.
Executives from global platforms, including Meta, have argued that while they are committed to addressing harmful content, the tight deadline complicates compliance.
As deepfakes blur the line between real and reel, the Election Commission isn’t just monitoring posts, it’s trying to keep the vote real in an age where reality itself can be edited.
