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.
Digital
RBI proposes Rs 25,000 compensation cap for small digital fraud losses
RBI, customer bank and beneficiary bank will share payouts
NATIONAL: The Reserve Bank of India has proposed a new compensation framework for small-value fraudulent electronic banking transactions, requiring the central bank, the customer’s bank and the beneficiary’s bank to share payouts to affected customers.
Under draft rules released on Friday, compensation will be capped at the lower of 85 per cent of the net loss amount or Rs 25,000 in cases where the gross loss from a fraudulent electronic transaction is up to Rs 50,000.
The proposal comes as regulators step up efforts to strengthen customer protection amid a rise in digital banking frauds.
RBI governor Sanjay Malhotra had indicated during last month’s monetary policy announcement that the central bank planned to introduce a compensation framework for small-value digital frauds, allowing affected customers to claim relief once during their lifetime.
According to the draft guidelines, when the loss is below Rs 29,412, compensation of 85 per cent of the loss will be paid. Of this amount, 65 per cent will be borne by the RBI, while the customer’s bank and the beneficiary bank will contribute 10 per cent each.
For losses of Rs 29,412 or more but up to Rs 50,000, the compensation will be capped at Rs 25,000. In such cases, the RBI will contribute Rs 19,118, while the customer’s bank and the beneficiary bank will each contribute Rs 2,941.
If funds are later recovered after compensation has been paid, the customer’s bank must recalculate the payout based on the revised net loss and adjust the recovered amount accordingly.
Customers will be eligible for compensation only if they report the fraudulent transaction within five calendar days of its occurrence.
Complaints must be lodged both with the bank and through the National Cyber Crime reporting portal or the National Cyber Crime helpline. Banks must also confirm that the loss is bona fide under their internal processes.
Once a complaint is received, banks must compensate the customer within five calendar days, the draft rules state.
In joint accounts, only one account holder may submit a compensation claim.
The central bank has also proposed tightening transaction alerts by mandating instant SMS notifications for all electronic banking transactions above Rs 500. For transactions of up to Rs 500, banks may decide whether to send alerts based on internal policies.
Banks will not be allowed to charge customers for SMS messages sent to meet regulatory requirements or those used for promotional, marketing or customer awareness purposes.
The draft framework also calls for stronger oversight by requiring banks to periodically report complaints related to fraudulent electronic transactions to their boards or board-level committees. These reports must detail the number and value of cases across categories including card-present transactions, card-not-present transactions, internet banking, mobile banking and ATM transactions.
The RBI has invited public comments on the draft guidelines until 6 April, 2026. The rules are expected to take effect on 1 July, 2026 once finalised.
Banking officials say the proposed sharing of compensation between the RBI, the customer’s bank and the beneficiary bank is intended to increase vigilance across the digital payments ecosystem.
