Social Media Rules for Political Campaigning in India: What Changed This Year

The 2025 election season in India is louder, faster, and more online than ever. That is why the Election Commission of India has tightened the guardrails for political content on Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, and WhatsApp. The focus is simple: stop hidden ads, stop fake news, and make campaigns more transparent.

These updates center on social media rules for political campaigning in India, including ad pre-certification with the MCMC, clear labels for AI content and deepfakes, and tougher paid news checks. The ECI also wants official social handles declared and expenses recorded. If you manage a campaign, this guide explains what changed, how to follow the rules, and how to avoid penalties. You will get a clear plan you can put to work today.

What Changed in 2025: New ECI Social Media Rules You Must Know

The ECI has rolled out stricter directions for digital campaigning in 2025. The headline change is simple: political ads on the internet need approval before they go live. This applies to all formats and all platforms, including boosted posts. You must also label AI content, keep clean records, and watch for paid news risks.

For confirmation and context, see the ECI website for official instructions and press releases, along with recent coverage in national media:

• The ECI site is the primary source for official instructions and advisories. Check current directions on the Election Commission of India portal.

• Recent coverage explains that pre-certification is mandatory for online ads. See ECI makes pre-certification mandatory for political ads, and NDTV’s summary, Approvals for ads, sharing social media info must.

• You can also review a recent press note via PIB: Political Parties to get advertisements pre-certified.

• Regional reports reinforce the same point: ECI tightens rules on internet-based political advertising.

Ad Pre-Certification With MCMC for All Social Media Ads

Every political ad on social platforms must be pre-certified by the MCMC before it runs. This covers parties, candidates, and any authorized agent that pays to promote content. You typically submit the script or copy, final creatives, and a brief targeting plan. District or state MCMC committees review it and provide a certificate.

Time your approvals into your media plan. Do not leave it to the last day. If you plan to boost a post that started as organic, it becomes an ad once money is behind it, and it needs clearance.

Clear Labels for AI-Generated Media and Deepfakes

If you use AI to generate images, audio, or video, label it clearly. Add visible text on the creative or in the caption. For example:

• On-screen corner text: “AI-generated depiction”

• Caption note: “This video includes AI-generated elements”

If synthetic content misleads voters, it can invite quick action. Protect your campaign with visible watermarks, simple labels, and a short context line that explains what is AI-assisted versus real.

Paid News Monitoring and Ad Transparency Rules

Paid news is content that looks like editorial but is actually paid promotion. It hides the ad nature of the message. The MCMC monitors posts and media for signs of disguised endorsements.

Red flags include one-sided promotion that has no disclosure, a pattern of positive coverage without certification, or content that mirrors an ad but lacks a disclaimer. Keep receipts, ad IDs, and invoices. Use each platform’s political ad tools, like disclaimers and public ad libraries.

What Platforms Expect From You During Elections

Meta, X, and YouTube require political ad authorization, disclaimers, and public listings. These are on top of ECI rules. Match your platform settings and disclaimer text with your MCMC pre-certificates. Keep your targeting within Indian legal limits and stick to the approved geography and timeline.

What Did Not Change From Earlier Guidelines

The Model Code basics still stand. Do not use hate speech. Avoid communal appeals. Do not share false claims. Content that violates the code or local laws can be taken down fast. Your team should keep the same caution it used in past cycles, only with tighter controls for ads and AI labels.

State-Level Rules to Watch: Maharashtra's Social Media Guidelines for Campaigns

Some states issue extra guidance to keep local campaigning clean. Maharashtra often releases social media dos and don’ts around election time. Treat state circulars as binding during the period they cover. The focus is simple: review posts before publication, avoid sensitive visuals, keep influencer content clean and transparent, and document approvals.

The points below reflect common expectations that teams have followed in recent cycles. Check your local CEO office and district MCMC for any active circulars in 2025.

Pre-Vetting Posts and Influencer Content Before You Publish

Set a quick review process before a post goes live, including influencer content tied to the campaign. Store drafts, timestamps, and final versions in a shared folder. If a post has a paid element or coordinated push, treat it as an ad and consider pre-certification. Keep an internal checklist and a daily log so you can show good faith compliance.

Content You Cannot Use: Religion, Defense Images, Personal Attacks

Do not use images of places of worship, defense personnel, or military assets. Avoid personal attacks, unverified allegations, or content that hints at inflaming community tensions. Safer alternatives work better:

• Policy visuals with simple charts

• Manifesto highlights

• Verified data with sources in captions

Keep the tone issue-based and grounded in facts.

Working With Influencers the Right Way in 2025

Use written contracts. Require disclosures on every sponsored or coordinated post. Do not allow misleading claims or edits that change meaning. If you plan paid or coordinated influencer posts, treat them like ads and assess whether they need certification. Ask influencers to submit drafts through your internal review before posting.

Simple Review Checklist for State Rules

• Content vetted and saved with timestamps

• Visuals allowed and safe for public use

• No personal attacks or unverified claims

• Clear disclosures on paid or coordinated posts

• MCMC certification attached if required

• Influencer post archived with date and time

How to Run a Compliant Campaign on Facebook, Instagram, X, and WhatsApp

Rules only work when you turn them into simple habits. Use these steps to run a clean campaign each day.

Step-by-Step Ad Workflow for Meta, X, and YouTube

1. Get your MCMC pre-certification. Submit approved copy, creatives, and a summary of targeting.

2. Complete political ad authorization on each platform, including your disclaimers.

3. Upload creatives that match the certified copy. Do not change the core message or visuals after approval.

4. Use proper disclaimers as required by the platform and align them with your MCMC certificate.

5. Keep ad IDs, invoices, and targeting notes in one shared folder.

6. Monitor comments. Hide or report hate speech or illegal content, and respond to misinformation with facts.

Organic Content Do and Do Not List

• Do: highlight manifesto points in plain words.

• Do: share verified data with a source link.

• Do: add simple captions that explain context.

• Do: label any AI-assisted visuals.

• Do not: post unverified claims.

• Do not: edit media to mislead.

• Do not: use restricted images.

• Do not: boost content that should be treated as an ad without certification.

WhatsApp Groups and Broadcasts Without Breaking Rules

Use official groups with clear admins. Avoid mass unsolicited forwards. Fact-check before you share, especially if the claim is emotional or urgent. Do not send content that looks like paid news or a coded ad. If you use broadcast lists, keep a record of recipients and dates. Share short links to public sources so users can verify claims.

Keep Your Data and Claims Verifiable

Link to public sources. Add a short citation in the caption. Save screenshots of the source page with the date for your records. Avoid absolute claims. If you must compare, show the data and the timeframe. Keep it easy for users to check your math.

For formal references and to verify rules, use the ECI site and reliable reports like Election Commission of India, ECI pre-certification directions covered by Business Standard, and NDTV’s update on approvals and account disclosures.

Enforcement, Penalties, and How to Protect Your Campaign From Deepfakes and Misinformation

Expect active monitoring during the campaign period. The MCMC and platforms can move fast on violations. Document your compliance and prepare your response plan for hoaxes and deepfakes.

Penalties You Can Face for Violations

Violations can lead to takedowns, notices to candidates or parties, scrutiny of ad spend, and reports to higher authorities. Repeated or serious breaches can trigger stronger action that harms your campaign’s credibility and reach. Treat rules as a floor, not a ceiling. Aim for transparent and fair communication.

Keep Proof: Approvals, Ad IDs, and Spend Logs

Maintain a single repository that your core team can access. Store:

• MCMC certificates and emails

• All creative versions and copies

• Platform ad IDs and final ad links

• Targeting notes and population reach

• Invoices, receipts, and influencer contracts

• Internal approval logs with dates, names, and comments

Back up this folder daily. Use clear file names to find documents fast.

Use cVIGIL and Official Channels to Report Violations

If you spot clear violations, report them quickly. The ECI supports citizen reporting and formal complaints through official channels. Filing timely reports helps remove harmful content before it spreads. Review how to raise concerns on the Election Commission of India site and follow local instructions shared by your district administration.

You can also track public updates on enforcement through media reports such as ECI tightens rules on internet-based political advertising and Approvals for ads must to understand how these steps work during polls.

Rapid Response Plan for Hoaxes and Deepfakes

Use a simple playbook:

1. Verify the claim or clip within minutes. Assign a point person.

2. Draft a clear correction post. Include proof and a short summary.

3. Label the fake in your post and in the creative, for example, “This clip is fabricated.”

4. Report the content to the platform using the political or misinformation reporting channel.

5. Alert the ECI or local authorities if the content breaks election rules.

6. Pin your correction on X or Facebook. Update key WhatsApp groups with the correction and a link to proof.

7. Track reach and keep a log of links, timestamps, and responses.

Conclusion

The 2025 cycle demands tighter discipline online. The big shifts are clear: pre-certify every social ad, label AI content, track spend, and watch for paid news risks. State-level guidance adds extra care on visuals and influencer content. Build a simple workflow, keep clean records, and post with transparency.

Quick end checklist:

• MCMC certificate before any ad

• Platform authorization and disclaimers on

• AI labels and watermarks added

• No restricted visuals or personal attacks

• Sources linked in captions

• All IDs, invoices, and approvals stored

Run a smart, honest campaign. The rules are clear, the tools are ready, and your team can win trust by playing it straight. For official updates, start with the Election Commission of India and recent coverage such as Business Standard’s report on pre-certification and the PIB press note.