LEGAL ASPECTS OF DEEPFAKES AND AI-GENERATED CONTENT IN INDIA: CHALLENGES, LIABILITY AND THE NEED FOR REGULATORY REFORM

Artificial intelligence has accelerated the creation of deepfakes and other AI-generated content, raising significant legal concerns relating to privacy, reputation, electoral integrity, and digital identity. India currently addresses these issues through existing cyber, criminal, constitutional, and data protection laws rather than a dedicated regulatory framework. This article examines the legal challenges posed by deepfakes, analyses the liability of creators, intermediaries, and AI developers, and evaluates the adequacy of the current legal framework. Drawing on comparative approaches from the European Union, China, and the United States, it argues that India's existing framework remains fragmented and reactive. The article proposes a rights-based regulatory framework that balances technological innovation with the protection of privacy, dignity, democratic values, and public trust in the digital ecosystem.