The Indian government has issued a stringent and decisive notice to social media platform X (formerly Twitter), expressing grave concerns over the misuse of its Artificial Intelligence (AI) service, 'Grok, while ' The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has ordered X Corp to immediately remove all obscene and objectionable content being created and shared using Grok AI. The notice also demands a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) within 72 hours, warning of severe legal action in case of non-compliance.
This move underscores the government's firm stance on regulating content on digital platforms and holding them accountable for user safety.
The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) has issued this statutory notice to X Corp under the provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000, and the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021. The Ministry has explicitly stated that X Corp has failed to comply with its statutory due diligence obligations. These obligations are crucial for ensuring user safety on digital platforms, moderating objectionable content, and adhering to Indian laws. The notice further mandates that X must include details of its compliance with the mandatory reporting requirements under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, in its Action Taken Report. This legal framework highlights the government's commitment to ensuring safety and accountability in the digital space.
Nature of Grok AI Misuse
The Ministry has specifically raised concerns about the misuse of Grok AI, which is being exploited to create and share obscene, indecent, and sexually explicit content, particularly targeting women, while the letter emphasizes that users have abused Grok's AI capabilities to generate artificial images and videos in a derogatory manner, leading to a severe violation of privacy and dignity. This content isn't only objectionable but also normalizes sexual harassment and promotes harmful perceptions towards women in society. The government has stressed that such acts undermine legal safeguards and exacerbate the growing threat of online harassment, necessitating immediate and decisive action from the platform.
Use of Fake Accounts and Platform Failure
In its letter, the government also highlighted the misuse of Grok AI through fake accounts. It has been observed that fake accounts are frequently used to present and post obscene images and videos of women in a derogatory or vulgar manner, generated using Grok AI. This situation indicates a serious failure of the platform's safety measures and systems. The Ministry stated that the issue isn't limited to fake IDs; Grok is also being used to target women who post their pictures or videos on social media. In such cases, their images are tampered with through Grok AI and sometimes presented in an obscene form, leading to a violation of their privacy and dignity. This conduct points to a significant lapse in the platform's ability to protect its users.
Priyanka Chaturvedi's Letter and Public Concerns
In this context, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi had also written to the IT Ministry, expressing concerns over the misuse of Grok AI. Her letter brought further prominence to the issue and prompted the government to take immediate notice, while the Ministry's notice also mentions that X has been informed through public discussions and applications from various parliamentary stakeholders that certain categories of content disseminated on its platform don't comply with applicable laws related to decency and obscenity. This indicates that the issue isn't merely a recent occurrence but part of long-standing concerns regarding content moderation on digital platforms, highlighting a systemic problem that requires urgent attention and resolution from X Corp.
Action Taken Report and Future Warning
The government has ordered X Corp to submit a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) within 72 hours. This report must include details of the measures adopted, the role of the Chief Compliance Officer, and compliance with the mandatory reporting under the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023. The Ministry has explicitly warned that if no action is taken by X or if a satisfactory report isn't submitted, strict action will be initiated against the platform, while this warning serves to compel the platform to take its responsibilities seriously and fully comply with Indian laws. The government's move is a significant initiative towards ensuring online safety and holding digital. Platforms accountable for the content they host and the services they provide to users.
