New Delhi: The government has given X additional time till January 7 to submit a detailed Action Taken Report after it issued a stern warning to the Elon Musk-led social media platform over indecent and sexually-explicit content being generated through misuse of AI-based services like ‘Grok’ and other tools.
The grant of extension came after X sought additional time from the IT Ministry, sources told PTI.
On Sunday, X’s ‘Safety’ handle said it will take action against illegal content on its platform, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement as necessary.
“Anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content,” it had said, reiterating Musk’s stance on illegal content.
Government sources said X had sought more time, and now it has been asked to submit its report by January 7.
The Centre on Friday pulled up X and directed it to immediately remove all vulgar, obscene and unlawful content, especially generated by Grok (X’s built-in artificial intelligence interface) or face action under the law. The ministry had also asked the US-based social media firm to submit a detailed action taken report (ATR) within 72 hours of the directive (effectively by January 5).
The IT Ministry, in its January 2 missive, said that Grok AI, developed by X and integrated on the platform, is being misused by users to create fake accounts to host, generate, publish or share obscene images or videos of women in a derogatory or vulgar manner.
“Importantly, this is not limited to creation of fake accounts but also targets women who host or publish their images or videos, through prompts, image manipulation and synthetic outputs,” the ministry said, asserting that such conduct reflects a serious failure of platform-level safeguards and enforcement mechanisms, and amounts to gross misuse of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies in violation of stipulated laws.
The ministry said the regulatory provisions under the IT Act and rules were being flouted by the platform, particularly in relation to obscene, indecent, vulgar, pornographic, paedophilic, or otherwise unlawful or harmful content.
“The aforesaid acts and omissions are viewed with grave concern, as they have the effect of violating the dignity, privacy and safety of women and children, normalising sexual harassment and exploitation in digital spaces, and undermining the statutory due diligence framework applicable to intermediaries operating in India,” the IT Ministry said.
The government made it clear to X that compliance with the IT Act and rules is not optional, and that the statutory exemptions under section 79 of the IT Act (which deals with safe harbour and immunity from liability for online intermediaries) are conditional upon strict observance of due diligence obligations.
“Accordingly, you are advised to strictly desist from the hosting, displaying, uploading, publication, transmission, storage, sharing of any content on your platform that is obscene, pornographic, vulgar, indecent, sexually explicit, paedophilic, or otherwise prohibited under any law…,” the ministry said on January 2.
The government warned X in clear terms that any failure to observe due diligence obligations shall result in the loss of the exemption from liability under section 79 of the IT Act, and that the platform will also be liable for consequential action under other laws, including the IT Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
It asked X to enforce user terms of service and AI usage restrictions, including ensuring strong deterrent measures such as suspension, termination and other enforcement actions against violating users and accounts.
X has also been asked to remove or disable access “without delay” to all content already generated or disseminated in violation of applicable laws, in strict compliance with the timelines prescribed under the IT Rules, 2021, without, as such, vitiating the evidence.
The ministry has asked X to submit a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) within 72 hours of the date of issuance of the said letter.
The ATR, it said, must cover specific technical and organisational measures adopted or proposed in relation to the Grok application; the role and oversight exercised by the Chief Compliance Officer; actions taken against offending content, users and accounts; as well as mechanisms to ensure compliance with the mandatory reporting requirement under Indian laws.
“…ensure ongoing, demonstrable and auditable compliance with all due diligence obligations under the IT Act and the IT Rules, 2021, failing which appropriate action may be initiated, including the loss of the exemption from liability under section 79 of the IT Act, and consequential action as provided under any law including the IT Act and the BNS,” the ministry wrote.
Besides India, the platform has been facing criticism from authorities in the UK and Malaysia too. Ofcom, the UK’s independent communications regulator, in a recent social media post said: “We are aware of serious concerns raised about a feature on Grok on X that produces undressed images of people and sexualised images of children”.
“We have made urgent contact with X and xAI to understand what steps they have taken to comply with their legal duties to protect users in the UK. Based on their response, we will undertake a swift assessment to determine whether there are potential compliance issues that warrant investigation,” Ofcom said.
PTI
