Metro India News | Hyderabad 

Social media platform X has acknowledged lapses in handling obscene content generated through its AI chatbot Grok and has taken corrective action after intervention by India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (IT Ministry). Sources said X removed around 3,500 objectionable posts and deleted over 600 accounts, assuring authorities of full compliance with Indian laws.

The move comes after concerns that Grok, developed by Elon Musk-backed xAI and integrated into X, was being misused to create and circulate vulgar, obscene, and non-consensual sexualised images. The IT Ministry had directed X on January 2 to remove all such unlawful content immediately and warned that non-compliance could lead to legal action.

Government officials said X has accepted its mistake and committed to stronger safeguards to prevent similar misuse. The company has promised stricter enforcement of content policies and AI usage rules to stop the generation or circulation of obscene imagery on its platform.

The ministry had asked X to submit a detailed action taken report within 72 hours, outlining technical and organisational measures, oversight by the Chief Compliance Officer, and steps taken against offending accounts and content. Officials noted that Grok was being misused not only through fake accounts but also to target women whose images were publicly available. Using prompts, image manipulation, and synthetic outputs, users allegedly created derogatory content, which the ministry described as a serious failure of platform-level safeguards and gross misuse of AI technologies.

Authorities also reminded X that compliance with the IT Act and related rules is mandatory. The “safe harbour” protection under Section 79 of the IT Act is conditional, requiring strict adherence to due diligence obligations. Any failure could lead to the loss of immunity and invite action under the IT Act and other applicable laws.

X’s initial response outlined its general content policies and respect for Indian laws but lacked specific details on takedowns related to Grok, prompting the ministry to seek further action and assurances. Subsequently, X reported blocking thousands of posts, deleting hundreds of accounts, and reinforcing AI usage restrictions.

The issue has drawn international attention. Regulators in the UK and European Union have raised similar concerns, while Britain’s communications regulator Ofcom is in urgent contact with X and xAI to assess compliance with online safety laws. In the US, lawmakers have urged a review of X and Grok over potential violations.

The incident highlights global scrutiny of generative AI platforms and underscores the growing demand for stricter safeguards, accountability, and enforcement to prevent misuse and protect users online.