In a significant move for digital safety, Google has overhauled its privacy tools for Indian users on Wednesday, February 11, 2026. This rollout comes exactly nine days before the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines) Amendment Rules, 2026 officially take effect.
The update is a critical pivot for the search giant, shifting from passive moderation to a high-speed, user-centric system designed to blunt the viral spread of AI-generated harm.
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The 2-Hour Race: India’s Mandate for Deepfake Disposal
The Indian government has significantly increased the stakes for tech platforms. Under the new gazette notification G.S.R. 120(E), the rules for “Synthetically Generated Information” (SGI) are clear:
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The Clock: Takedown timelines for non-consensual intimate imagery (NCII) and deepfakes have been slashed to just 2 hours (from 24 hours earlier).
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Lawful Orders: For content flagged by courts or government authorities, platforms have only 3 hours to comply.
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Mandatory Labels: All AI-altered visuals must now carry a “prominent” label and persistent metadata to ensure they cannot be passed off as authentic.
How to Use Google’s New In-Search Removal Tool
Instead of navigating complex support pages, users can now report violations directly from the Google Search results page.
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Find the Content: Locate the offending result or image.
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Three-Dot Menu: Click the three vertical dots next to the result.
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Select “Remove Result”: Choose the specific reason—“It shows a sexual image of me”—for deepfakes or NCII.
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Batch Mode: Select all other relevant images in the search results to submit them as a single consolidated request.
[Infographic: Step-by-step guide to reporting deepfakes on Google mobile app]
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Tracking Progress: The “Results About You” Hub
To eliminate the “black hole” experience of reporting, Google has centralized all requests in the “Results about you” dashboard.
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Real-Time Status: Users can see if their request is “Under Review,” “Approved,” or “Requires More Info.”
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Auto-Filter: Once an image is approved for removal, users can opt-in to a feature that uses image hashing to block exact or near-identical copies from appearing in future searches for their name.
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Notification Loop: You will receive a notification if Google’s automated scanners detect your pre-registered government ID numbers or phone numbers surfacing in new search results.
Beyond Images: Scrubbing Doxxing Material and IDs
The update isn’t just about AI; it’s a broader strike against doxxing and identity theft.
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Sensitive Data: Users can now request the removal of Aadhaar numbers, PAN cards, passports, and home addresses.
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The “Search Only” Caveat: Google reminds users that while a link may disappear from Search, the source website still hosts the data. Victims are urged to contact hosting platforms (like X, Reddit, or Telegram) directly under the same 2-hour Indian IT rule for total deletion.
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[INDIA IT RULES 2026: THE COMPLIANCE CHECKLIST]
| Content Type | Old Takedown Rule | New 2026 Rule (Feb 20) |
| Deepfakes / NCII | 24 Hours | 2 Hours |
| Court / Govt Orders | 36 Hours | 3 Hours |
| Grievance Resolution | 15 Days | 7 Days |
| AI Content Labels | Optional | Mandatory & Prominent |
Next Steps
If you are concerned about your digital footprint, you should immediately open the Google App, tap your profile icon, and set up your “Results about you” monitoring list. Furthermore, if you are a victim of a deepfake, you should also visit StopNCII.org, a global tool that Google uses to generate “digital fingerprints” of harmful images, preventing them from being re-uploaded to major platforms entirely.
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