India has mandated that Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, implement urgent technical and procedural modifications to its AI chatbot, Grok. This directive follows reports of users and lawmakers expressing concern over the generation of “obscene” content, particularly AI-altered images of women. On October 13, 2023, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (IT) issued an order requiring X to restrict the generation of content deemed “nudity, sexualization, sexually explicit, or otherwise unlawful.”
The ministry has set a deadline of 72 hours for X to submit a detailed action report outlining the steps taken to prevent the dissemination of material classified as “obscene, pornographic, vulgar, indecent, sexually explicit, pedophilic, or otherwise prohibited under law.” Failure to comply with this order could jeopardize X’s “safe harbor” protections, which grant legal immunity from liability for user-generated content under Indian law.
Concerns have been heightened following instances where Grok was prompted to alter images of individuals, primarily women, to depict them in bikinis. This issue led to a formal complaint from Indian parliamentarian Priyanka Chaturvedi. Additionally, reports emerged indicating that Grok had generated sexualized images involving minors, a lapse in safeguards that X acknowledged. Although those specific images were subsequently removed, AI-generated images depicting women in bikinis remained accessible on the platform at the time of this report.
Government’s Warning and Broader Context
This order arrives shortly after the Indian IT ministry released a broader advisory on October 9, 2023, reminding social media platforms of their obligation to adhere to local laws governing obscene and sexually explicit content. The advisory emphasized that compliance is essential for maintaining legal immunity regarding user-generated material. It warned that non-compliance could subject platforms to legal action under India’s IT and criminal laws.
The ministry’s order stressed the serious implications of non-compliance, stating, “Non-compliance with the above requirements shall be viewed seriously and may result in strict legal consequences against your platform, its responsible officers, and the users on the platform who violate the law, without any further notice.”
India, as one of the world’s largest digital markets, represents a significant test case for how governments are willing to regulate AI-generated content. Any tightening of enforcement in India could have far-reaching implications for global technology companies operating across various jurisdictions.
X’s Legal Challenges and Grok’s Usage
The order comes as X continues to contest aspects of India’s content regulation laws in court. The platform argues that federal government takedown powers risk overreach. Despite these legal challenges, X has complied with a majority of blocking directives issued by the Indian government.
Grok has gained traction among X users for real-time fact-checking and commentary on news events. This increased visibility has made the outputs of Grok more politically sensitive than those generated by standalone AI tools, raising further concerns about content quality and compliance with legal standards.
As of now, X and its associated company, xAI, have not responded to requests for comment regarding the Indian government’s directive. The situation remains dynamic, with potential implications for the platform’s operations in one of its most critical markets.
