India: Media, Telecoms, IT, Entertainment

The Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”), by circular dated 20.08.2026 (“FPI Circular”), has notified the acceptance of digitally signed power of attorney (“POA”) by foreign portfolio investors (“FPI”) and has accordingly amended the Master Circular for Foreign Portfolio Investors, Designated Depository Participants and Eligible Foreign Investors (“FPI Master Circular”).

On 29 September 2026, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) released the Guidelines for Responsible Labelling of Synthetically Generated Content in Advertising (Guidelines), following consultation on the draft guidelines issued in May 2026. The Guidelines set out labelling requirements for synthetic content in advertisements and identify prohibited use cases. The Guidelines come into effect three months after the date of publication (i.e., 29 December 2026).

Generative AI can now reproduce a person's face, voice and mannerisms with a fidelity that the average viewer cannot tell apart from reality. What began as novelty content—face-swapped videos, synthetic voice clips circulated for entertainment—has, since 2023, become a live commercial and reputational threat.

An information had been filed against Reliance Jio Infocom Limited and more than 4,500 entities operating across various sectors of the economy, inter alia alleging contravention of the provisions of Sections 3 and 4 of the Act. The informant had raised allegations of anti-competitive practices spanning multiple sectors, including logistics, telecommunications, Government-e-Marketplace (‘GeM’) procurement, energy and infrastructure, batteries and energy storage, plywood and engineered wood products, cement, steel and electrical products, information technology hardware, Fast Moving Consumer Goods (‘FMCG’), education, fertilisers, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, laminates, plastic and pipes, mattresses, staple foods, and real estate in the eastern and north-eastern regions of India.

Pesky, promotional and unsolicited commercial communications can be intrusive and disruptive for consumers, particularly when received without their consent. They can result in consumers being constantly exposed to unwanted commercial messages, making it harder to distinguish important communications from promotional content. In some cases, such communications may also encourage unwanted purchases or expose consumers to potential fraud and other risks. In view thereof, Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has proposed a draft of the Guidelines for Prevention and Regulation of Pesky, Promotional and Unsolicited Commercial Communications, 2026 (Draft Guidelines).

In Home Box Office Inc & Ors. v. Streamzy.to & Ors. (CS(COMM) 740/2026, 2026:DHC:5967; order dated 27 July 2026), Justice Anup Jairam Bhambhani granted an ad-interim injunction against a cluster of rogue streaming websites and, more significantly, refined the mechanism by which such injunctions are extended to the mirror, redirect and alphanumeric sites that predictably follow. The order’s contribution lies in a single, disciplined distinction: between the technical verification that an intermediary may perform, and the adjudicatory determination that belongs to the court alone.

In a comparative advertising dispute between Hindustan Unilever Limited (“HUL” or the “Plaintiff”) and Kwick Living (I) Private Limited (“Kwick Living” or the “Defendant”), a single Judge of the Delhi high court, vide order dated 25 August 2026, referred to a large bench the question of territorial jurisdiction in IP suits, due to multiple, conflicting precedents on when a court can entertain a case on the ground of website accessibility only.

The internet is the most dynamic tool of the 21st century, with a myriad of applications that have drastically increased the flow of information across the globe. It has become the epicenter of human existence and a catalyst for development to an unprecedented extent. While its convenient and borderless nature has enhanced global connectivity, it has simultaneously given rise to modern-day quandaries.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, is scheduled to be held from June 11 to July 19, 2026, and with the advent of any major sporting event, the online piracy sites also mushroom around the same time.

On 29 September 2026, the Advertising Standards Council of India (ASCI) released the Guidelines for Responsible Labelling of Synthetically Generated Content in Advertising (Guidelines), following consultation on the draft guidelines issued in May 2026. The Guidelines set out labelling requirements for synthetic content in advertisements and identify prohibited use cases. The Guidelines come into effect three months after the date of publication (i.e., 29 December 2026).

Examination of Supreme Court’s ruling that appointments violating recruitment advertisement terms constitute fraud on public, reinforcing Article 16 equality in public employment.

Generative AI can now assist with campaign concepts, generate images and videos, alter backgrounds and styling, create advertising copy, and produce market-specific versions of a campaign at remarkable speed. For fashion brands operating across multiple markets, the commercial attraction is obvious: more content, faster production and greater localization