MeitY said users were allegedly exploiting Grok to generate and circulate explicit images and videos of women, often using fake or anonymous accounts.
The Centre has given social media platform X an additional 48 hours to explain the steps taken to prevent the alleged misuse of its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, for generating obscene content. Officials said the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has extended the deadline till January 7 evening.
X was earlier issued a notice on January 2 after the government raised concerns that Grok was being used to create sexually explicit content, especially targeting women. The notice was sent to X’s India Chief Compliance Officer, Vinay Prakash.
According to officials, the company sought more time to respond, citing limited staff availability during the Christmas and New Year holidays. While granting the extension, the ministry stressed that compliance with Indian laws is mandatory.
MeitY said users were allegedly exploiting Grok to generate and circulate explicit images and videos of women, often using fake or anonymous accounts. It also noted that real photos and videos shared by women were being manipulated using AI tools, leading to online harassment and abuse.
The government has asked X to submit a detailed Action Taken Report, explaining the technical safeguards introduced to curb misuse, steps taken against violators, the role of the compliance officer, and the process for reporting such offences to law enforcement agencies.
MeitY warned that failure to address the issue could lead to the loss of legal protection under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, along with possible legal action against the company and its executives.
The issue gained attention after Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi wrote to IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, highlighting the dangers of AI-generated sexualised content. Vaishnaw has since said social media platforms must be held accountable for harmful content. X has not yet issued an official response.
