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Govt proposes IT rule changes to make advisories binding on tech platforms

Govt proposes IT rule changes to make advisories binding on tech platforms

by | Mar 30, 2026 | Technology


Representative image from file.

1 min read Last Updated : Mar 30 2026 | 6:56 PM IST


​India on Monday proposed changes to ​its IT law to make advisories and ‌clarifications legally binding on internet platforms such as Meta, Google and X, the latest in a string of stricter compliance requirements for tech giants.


Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government this year compressed the timeline for platforms to take down content flagged by authorities to three hours, from 36 hours previously, and has imposed ‌new obligations around AI-generated content and deepfakes.


Currently, the IT ministry’s advisories to platforms – on issues ranging from deepfake labelling to content takedown practices – have functioned as guidance without explicit legal consequences.

 


In new proposed rules on Monday, the government said ​non-compliance with advisories or guidelines issued by the IT ministry would ‌be treated as a failure to meet the conditions for safe harbour – the ​legal ‌shield that protects platforms from liability for content posted ‌by their users.


The changes were being proposed to “strengthen enforceability” of directions and “improve legal certainty”, the ‌ministry said ​in a notice ​inviting public feedback by April 14.


Meta, Google and X did not immediately respond to ‌requests for ​comment.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Mar 30 2026 | 6:55 PM IST



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Android 17 beta 3 update released: Screen rec toolbar, app labels, more

Android 17 beta 3 update released: Screen rec toolbar, app labels, more

by | Mar 30, 2026 | Technology


Android 17 (Image: Google’s Android Developers Blog)

4 min read Last Updated : Mar 30 2026 | 4:08 PM IST


Google recently rolled out Android 17 beta 3 to eligible Pixel phones. This beta update brings several changes and improvements, including bubbles for several apps, a redesigned screen recording toolbar, hidden home screen app labels, and more. The Android 17 beta 3 update is now available for download. Here’s an overview of what’s new in the update.


Android 17 beta 3 update: What’s new


  • Bubbles: Apps beyond Messenger can use the bubble function. For the uninitiated, the Messenger app already offers this, as tapping the floating bubble icon opens a picture-in-picture window for messages. Notably, Bubbles is a windowing mode separate from messaging (chat) bubbles.


  • Redesigned screen recording toolbar: The screen recording toolbar has been redesigned, and users can now select only a specific app to be recorded or the entire screen.


  • Hidden app labels on the home screen: Android now provides a user setting to hide app names (labels) on the home screen workspace, accessible via the system customisation and wallpaper picker settings.


  • Photo picker customisation: Users can now modify the grid view aspect ratio of the photo picker. Users can switch from the default 1:1 square to a 9:16 portrait display, allowing for better UI integration.


  • RAW14 image format: Professional camera apps can now capture 14-bit per pixel RAW images.


  • Vendor-defined camera extensions: Hardware partners can now define custom camera extension modes (e.g., ‘Super Resolution’ or AI enhancements).


  • Bluetooth LE audio hearing aids: A new device category allows apps to distinguish hearing aids from generic LE Audio headsets, enabling tailored UI iconography.


  • Granular hearing aid audio routing: Users can independently route system sounds (notifications, ringtones, alarms) to either connected hearing aids or the device speaker. This is handled at the system level and requires no API changes.


  • Extended HE-AAC software encoder: A new system-provided encoder supports high and low bitrates for significantly better audio in low-bandwidth conditions, including mandatory support for loudness metadata to ensure consistent volume.


  • Widget support on external displays: Improved visual consistency for widgets across different pixel densities. It will now accept complex units, and widgets can retrieve specific DisplayMetrics.


  • Desktop Interactive Picture-in-Picture (iPiP): Apps can request to be moved to a “pinned” windowing layer during desktop mode (default on external displays). These pinned windows remain interactive and always on top.


  • Discrete Password Visibility: “Show passwords” settings are now split between touch inputs (briefly echoing the last character) and physical keyboards (hidden immediately by default). Standard framework components respect this automatically; custom fields should migrate to the ShowSecretsSetting API.


Other updates rolled out in the Android 17 beta 3 update include changes to performance and battery, security, discrete password visibility, Health Connect device data providers, and more.

 


Android 17 beta 3 update: Eligible devices


  • Pixel 6, Pixel 6 Pro, Pixel 6a


  • Pixel 7, Pixel 7 Pro, Pixel 7a


  • Pixel Tablet


  • Pixel Fold


  • Pixel 8, Pixel 8 Pro, Pixel 8a


  • Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro XL, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, Pixel 9a


  • Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Pixel 10a


Android 17 beta 3 update: How to install


According to 9To5Google, users looking to join the Android 17 beta programme can visit Google’s Android Beta page and tap on the “Opt in” option for their device. Eligible Pixel devices linked to the same Google account will be listed there and can be selected for enrolment.

 


Once registered, users can check for updates on their device to download the beta build. The update is usually pushed within a few minutes, although in some cases it may take longer. There is also an option to leave the beta programme from the same page if users do not wish to continue receiving preview updates.

 


After opting in, users can go to Settings, then System, followed by Software Updates and System Updates, and tap Install to begin the process. Alternatively, the update can also be installed manually through sideloading.

First Published: Mar 30 2026 | 4:07 PM IST



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Platforms have almost doubled-tripled deepfake takedowns: Vaishnaw

Platforms have almost doubled-tripled deepfake takedowns: Vaishnaw

by | Mar 30, 2026 | Technology



Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw on Monday highlighted rising concerns over AI-generated deepfakes, and noted that social media platforms, too, have scaled up efforts on deepfake takedowns.


The minister termed deepfakes as a new menace and a threat to society.


“A lot of content has started coming in the nature of deepfakes. Because of whatever changes have happened in the AI world, a huge quantity of deepfakes have started coming in the social media… the entire world, and the social media platforms themselves have significantly ramped up their efforts at removing the deepfakes,” Vaishnaw, who is the minister for IT as well as Information and Broadcasting, told reporters.

 


The platforms themselves have almost doubled or tripled their own takedowns of deepfake content, he added.


“It’s a new menace, new threat, which is coming for the society,” he said, adding that countering it effectively is very important for society, for every individual, and institution.



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Bethesda to shut down servers for The Elder Scrolls Blades on June 30

Bethesda to shut down servers for The Elder Scrolls Blades on June 30

by | Mar 30, 2026 | Technology



Bethesda has reportedly confirmed that it will shut down servers for The Elder Scrolls: Blades on June 30, effectively bringing an end to the free-to-play mobile title. According to a report by Engadget, citing an in-game screenshot shared on Reddit, the game will be permanently shut down on the aforementioned date. What solidified this news was the fact that the game has already been delisted from both the App Store and Google Play Store.

 


Ahead of the shutdown, Bethesda is offering remaining players a final in-game update, with a free bundle of Gems and Sigils, while all store items have been reduced to a cost of one unit each. The title, which launched in 2020 across Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch, will complete roughly six years of availability before going offline.

 


According to an Engadget report, at launch, The Elder Scrolls: Blades saw early traction, crossing over one million downloads on iOS during its early access phase. However, the game failed to sustain long-term success and did not match the performance of Bethesda’s mainline Elder Scrolls titles. Over time, it drew criticism for repetitive gameplay and heavy reliance on microtransactions, reflected in its “generally unfavourable” rating on Metacritic.

 


The shutdown follows a broader pattern for Bethesda, which had earlier discontinued development of The Elder Scrolls: Legends in 2019 before eventually taking its servers offline in January 2025. For users still looking for a mobile experience set in the franchise’s universe, The Elder Scrolls: Castles remains available.


What is The Elder Scrolls: Blades


The Elder Scrolls: Blades is a role-playing game set in Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls universe. The game places players in the role of a member of the Blades, an elite group of imperial agents forced into exile who return to find their hometown destroyed. The central objective revolves around rebuilding the town while uncovering threats and navigating a series of story-driven quests tied to the broader fantasy setting.


In terms of gameplay, Blades combines linear dungeon exploration with touch-based combat, where players engage enemies using timed attacks, blocks, and spells. The game features procedurally generated dungeons alongside handcrafted missions, with progression tied to character upgrades, loot collection, and town development. It also includes a PvP Arena mode, allowing players to compete in one-on-one combat, adding a multiplayer layer to an otherwise solo-focused experience.

 



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Govt in talks with tech industry, no impact seen from Iran war: Vaishnaw

Govt in talks with tech industry, no impact seen from Iran war: Vaishnaw

by | Mar 30, 2026 | Technology


New Delhi: Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw during an event on the Electronics Component Manufacturing Scheme at National Media Centre, in New Delhi. (Photo:PTI)

1 min read Last Updated : Mar 30 2026 | 2:49 PM IST


The government is in dialogue with hi-tech industry associations on the West Asia conflict and its impact on the ecosystem, and industry bodies have not reported any adverse impact on their operations, Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said on Monday.


The Electronics and IT Minister’s comments came amid reports that the helium crunch has started impacting global tech supply chains.


“We have asked every industry association here, and each one has said that so far there is no impact… This includes semiconductors, mobile, electronics components, and hardware space…It is an evolving situation. So, we will continue interacting with the industry,” Vaishnaw told reporters.

 


The industry believes that the West Asia crisis will not be prolonged, he said.

(Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

First Published: Mar 30 2026 | 2:49 PM IST



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DoT may push SIM binding deadline for WhatsApp, Telegram and more: Report

DoT may push SIM binding deadline for WhatsApp, Telegram and more: Report

by | Mar 30, 2026 | Technology


The government is reportedly planning to extend the deadline for messaging platforms to comply with SIM binding rules after companies failed to meet earlier timelines and raised technical concerns. According to a report by Hindustan Times, the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) is now considering a phased rollout, with compliance expected by December-end. The move comes as platforms like WhatsApp, Signal, and Telegram flagged challenges related to testing, operating system limitations, and user experience while implementing the directive.


What are SIM binding directives?


DoT had issued the SIM binding directive in November 2025, requiring messaging platforms that use mobile numbers for user identification to ensure their services are linked to the SIM card installed in the user’s device. The aim is to make it harder to use such apps without an active SIM, helping plug security gaps that have been exploited for digital fraud.

 
 

The directive also mandates that web versions of these apps must log users out periodically, at least once every six hours, requiring re-authentication, typically via QR code, to continue access. 

 


Deadline likely to be extended

 


According to Hindustan Times, a DoT official said the government will extend compliance deadlines as companies have faced issues related to testing and operating system updates.

 


“We will extend the compliance deadlines as companies have run into technical challenges… The compliance will happen in a phased manner,” the official said, as quoted by Hindustan Times.

 


The report added that Android devices are likely to comply first, while iOS is facing certain constraints.

 

“Android is likely to comply first, while iOS faces certain technical constraints for which Apple is working on a solution. These are expected to be resolved by December,” the official said, according to Hindustan Times. 

 


Missed timelines and industry response

 


The companies were initially required to comply within 90 days of the November 2025 directive, setting a deadline of February-end 2026. However, these timelines were not met. The report noted that while DoT had earlier indicated flexibility until March-end, it is now considering a longer extension after requests from platforms.

 


As per the report, Meta said that the company is working with DoT to find a technically feasible solution. Meanwhile, SIM binding for WhatsApp on Android is reportedly in beta testing.”

 



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