The Gujarat High Court has issued notices to Meta India, Google, X, Reddit and Scribd to address concerns over the proliferation of AI-generated deepfakes, demanding faster enforcement of existing laws and compliance with new digital security protocols.
The Gujarat High Court has moved to widen scrutiny of the online spread of AI-generated deepfakes, issuing notices to Meta India, Google, X, Reddit and Scribd in a public interest case that argues India needs sharper legal tools to deal with manipulated videos and photographs circulating on digital platforms.
A division bench led by Chief Justice Sunita Agarwal and Justice D N Ray asked the platforms to ensure they are onboarded onto the Centre’s Sahyog portal, a system created in October 2024 to speed up coordinated action on unlawful online material. According to affidavits placed before the court by the Ministry of Home Affairs, the portal is meant to bring law enforcement agencies and intermediaries onto a single channel so that illegal synthetic content can be removed more quickly and relevant evidence preserved.
The Centre told the court that 524 intermediaries had already joined the portal, but said some platforms had not fully integrated with it. X, formerly Twitter, was singled out in the filings for failing to respond consistently to notices over unlawful content. The government said it had sent 94 intimations to X, covering 1,160 URLs, but had received a formal reply in only 13 cases, which it described as an alarmingly low level of response.
The state government also told the bench that show-cause notices often drew no meaningful answer and that offending material was not being removed in time. The High Court said the core issue appeared to be the proper enforcement of existing law and the need for all intermediaries to meet their due diligence obligations under the statutory framework. It directed the companies to respond not only to the petitioner but also to the Centre and the state on how the current regime is being implemented in practice.
The petition, filed by advocate Vikas Vijay Nair through advocate Amit Panchal, says deepfake tools can now mimic voices, facial expressions and body movements with striking accuracy, creating material that can damage reputations, public trust and social harmony. It argues that law and regulation have not kept pace with the speed of AI development, particularly where fabricated content targets constitutional and statutory authorities. The matter is due to be heard next on May 8.
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Source: Noah Wire Services
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The draft above was created using the information available at the time the story first
emerged. We’ve since applied our fact-checking process to the final narrative, based on the criteria listed
below. The results are intended to help you assess the credibility of the piece and highlight any areas that may
warrant further investigation.
Freshness check
Score:
10
Notes:
The article reports on a recent development dated April 15, 2026, concerning the Gujarat High Court’s issuance of notices to Meta, Google, X, Reddit, and Scribd over AI deepfake misuse. This is a fresh and original news item with no evidence of prior publication.
Quotes check
Score:
10
Notes:
The article does not contain any direct quotes, ensuring originality and avoiding potential issues with reused or unverifiable content.
Source reliability
Score:
8
Notes:
The primary source is The Indian Express, a reputable major news organisation. However, the article includes references to other sources such as DeshGujarat and LiveLaw, which are less well-known. While these sources provide additional context, their credibility is not as established as The Indian Express.
Plausibility check
Score:
9
Notes:
The claims made in the article align with known issues regarding AI-generated deepfakes and the challenges in regulating such content. The involvement of major tech companies and the Gujarat High Court’s actions are plausible and consistent with ongoing discussions in the tech and legal sectors.
Overall assessment
Verdict (FAIL, OPEN, PASS): PASS
Confidence (LOW, MEDIUM, HIGH): MEDIUM
Summary:
The article presents a recent and original news item with no evidence of prior publication. It avoids direct quotes, ensuring originality. The primary source, The Indian Express, is reputable, though the inclusion of less well-known sources like DeshGujarat and LiveLaw slightly reduces the overall reliability. The claims made are plausible and align with known issues regarding AI-generated deepfakes. The article is accessible without paywall restrictions and is a factual news report. However, the reliance on less independent verification sources warrants a medium confidence level in the overall assessment.
