The Indian government has ordered social media platform X to make immediate changes to its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok. The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology issued the directive on Friday. The order requires X to stop the tool from generating obscene or sexually explicit imagery. The company has been given 72 hours to submit a compliance report.
The ministry warned that failure to comply could result in the loss of safe harbor protections. These protections currently shield the platform from legal liability for user-generated content. The order specifically cites the creation of AI-altered images of women and sexualized content involving minors. The government stated that non-compliance would invite strict legal action under the Information Technology Act.
This move follows formal complaints regarding the platform. Member of Parliament Priyanka Chaturvedi recently flagged instances where the tool was used to alter images of women. X acknowledged on Friday that lapses in safeguards had occurred regarding content involving minors. However, reports indicate that some altered images remained accessible on the platform at the time of the order.
India is positioning itself as a strict regulator of AI content. This specific order follows a broader advisory sent to all social media intermediaries earlier in the week. That advisory reminded companies that compliance with local obscenity laws is a prerequisite for operating in the country. X has not yet issued a public comment on the directive.
