Social media platform X has taken decisive action to remove objectionable content after intervention by the Indian government, sources told HT on Sunday. Over 3,500 pieces of content were blocked, and more than 600 user accounts were deleted. The platform has assured authorities that all operations will now comply with India’s online content laws.

The development comes in the wake of concerns raised by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) regarding the AI chatbot Grok, which is integrated into the X platform. Grok had reportedly been generating sexually explicit and obscene imagery of women based on user requests. Several of these instances involved the creation of deepfake content, including images of minors, celebrities, and public figures, raising alarm among regulators and civil society groups.

According to sources, X “admitted its mistake” and agreed to prevent the generation and dissemination of such obscene content. This move follows the government giving X Corp., owned by Elon Musk, a timeline to submit an action taken report on the issue.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology had first flagged the issue on January 2, describing serious failures in preventing the spread of sexually explicit content via Grok. Officials emphasized that “the law of the land must prevail,” warning X of potential consequences, including the loss of legal protections under Indian law if compliance was not ensured. Other online platforms, they noted, would be subject to similar scrutiny if their AI systems failed to adhere to content regulations.

An official explained that Grok cannot be treated merely as a neutral tool or platform feature. “Grok is a content creator, an artificial content creator. Just as a human being creating content is accountable, so is Grok,” the official said. This clarification underscores the regulatory stance that AI-generated content is subject to the same legal standards as content produced by humans.

X reportedly responded to MeitY’s notice within five days, but the initial reply was deemed unsatisfactory. The government noted that the response largely reproduced the platform’s user policy across five pages without addressing the core concerns regarding the generation of explicit imagery. Following continued pressure, X reportedly carried out the content takedowns and account deletions, signaling compliance with Indian regulatory expectations.

India is not alone in raising concerns about Grok’s misuse. Indonesia suspended the chatbot over similar worries regarding AI-generated pornographic content. Other countries, including the UK, France, and Malaysia, have also expressed objections to AI-generated explicit content on platforms like X, highlighting the global nature of the regulatory challenge posed by AI tools capable of creating sexualized imagery.

Sources said that going forward, X has committed to stricter internal monitoring of AI-generated content and enhanced mechanisms to prevent the spread of sexually explicit material. While the immediate takedown addresses existing violations, the Ministry will continue to monitor compliance to ensure that Grok and other AI systems operate within the bounds of Indian law.

The intervention highlights India’s proactive approach toward regulating AI-driven content on global platforms, particularly in cases where technology can facilitate harassment, misuse, or exploitation. Legal and policy experts have noted that this move may set a precedent for how AI chatbots generating imagery or text are treated under Indian law, effectively holding platforms accountable for outputs produced by their AI systems.

In summary, the deletion of over 600 accounts and the blocking of thousands of posts by X reflects a significant regulatory pushback against the misuse of AI on social media. It also underscores the government’s insistence that AI-generated content must comply with existing laws, emphasizing accountability, user safety, and the prevention of digital harassment.

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