Reply Not Adequate: Govt Asks X For Specific Action Taken In Grok AI Obscene Content Issue

The government has asked X for more details, including specific action taken on obscene content linked to its Grok AI and measures to prevent a repeat in future, sources said on Wednesday, adding that the platform's reply, while detailed, is not adequate.

Sources told PTI that X has provided a long, detailed reply, stating that it respects Indian laws and stipulated guidelines, and that India is a big market for the platform. In its response, X also outlined the strict content takedown policies it abides by when it comes to misleading posts and those related to non-consensual sexualised images.

Sources said, although the reply was long and detailed, it "missed" key information including takedown details and specific action that has been taken on the Grok AI obscene content issue, and to prevent it in future.

The response submitted by X on Wednesday is not an eyewash nor defiant, but certainly not adequate, sources said.

The IT Ministry has now sought more details from X, including action taken and steps to prevent it in future. It wants specific information on takedowns and has asked X to immediately respond to all these additional queries.

There is no official public statement from X's official handles on the specifics of the submission made to the Indian government.

X had been given extended time until Wednesday, 5 PM, to submit an Action Taken Report to the ministry, after a stern warning was issued to it over indecent and sexually-explicit content being generated through misuse of AI-based services like 'Grok' and other tools.

Asked if the safe harbour clause remains for the time being, government sources said the conditional immunity from liability (statutory exemptions under section 79 of the IT Act) is, as such, not for Grok, but intermediaries like X. When a case gets filed in courts, intermediaries lose immunity if they fail to take action even after notification or in observance of due diligence obligations.

On Sunday, X's 'Safety' handle said it takes action against illegal content on its platform, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary.

"Anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content," X had said, reiterating the stance taken by Musk on illegal content.

On January 2, the IT Ministry had pulled up X and directed it to immediately remove all vulgar, obscene and unlawful content, especially generated by Grok (X's built-in artificial intelligence interface) or face action under the law.

In the directive, the ministry asked the US-based social media firm to submit a detailed action taken report (ATR) within 72 hours, spelling out specific technical and organisational measures adopted or proposed in relation to the Grok application; the role and oversight exercised by the Chief Compliance Officer; actions taken against offending content, users and accounts; as well as mechanisms to ensure compliance with the mandatory reporting requirement under Indian laws.

The IT Ministry, in its missive on Friday, noted that Grok AI, developed by X and integrated on the platform, is being misused by users to create fake accounts to host, generate, publish or share obscene images or videos of women in a derogatory or vulgar manner.

"Importantly, this is not limited to creation of fake accounts but also targets women who host or publish their images or videos, through prompts, image manipulation and synthetic outputs," the ministry said, asserting that such conduct reflects a serious failure of platform-level safeguards and enforcement mechanisms, and amounts to gross misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in violation of stipulated laws.

The government had made it clear to X that compliance with the IT Act and rules is not optional, and that the statutory exemptions under section 79 of the IT Act (which deals with safe harbour and immunity from liability for online intermediaries) are conditional upon strict observance of due diligence obligations.

"Accordingly, you are advised to strictly desist from the hosting, displaying, uploading, publication, transmission, storage, sharing of any content on your platform that is obscene, pornographic, vulgar, indecent, sexually explicit, paedophilic, or otherwise prohibited under any law...," the ministry had said.

The government warned X in clear terms that any failure to observe due diligence obligations shall result in the loss of the exemption from liability under section 79 of the IT Act, and that the platform will also be liable for consequential action under other laws, including the IT Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

It asked X to enforce user terms of service and AI usage restrictions, including ensuring strong deterrent measures such as suspension, termination and other enforcement actions against violating users and accounts.

X has also been asked to remove or disable access "without delay" to all content already generated or disseminated in violation of applicable laws, in strict compliance with the timelines prescribed under the IT Rules, 2021, without, as such, vitiating the evidence.

Besides India, the platform has drawn flak from authorities in the UK and Malaysia too. Ofcom, the UK's independent communications regulator, in a recent social media post, said: "We are aware of serious concerns raised about a feature on Grok on X that produces undressed images of people and sexualised images of children".

"We have made urgent contact with X and xAI to understand what steps they have taken to comply with their legal duties to protect users in the UK.

"Based on their response, we will undertake a swift assessment to determine whether there are potential compliance issues that warrant investigation," Ofcom said.