Centre pushes back on AI misuse as X removes thousands of obscene posts

X has removed nearly 3,500 posts and deleted more than 600 accounts following concerns raised by the central government over the circulation of obscene content, according to reports. The action comes after a directive from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), which highlighted violations linked to the misuse of artificial intelligence tools on the platform.

According to reports, the ministry identified instances in which AI-based services, including Grok, were allegedly misused to generate and distribute explicit, indecent, and sexually suggestive material. The content reportedly included manipulated and synthetic visuals targeting women in a derogatory manner, raising serious concerns about digital safety and platform accountability.

MeitY subsequently issued a formal notice to the platform, directing it to submit an action-taken report within 72 hours. The notice emphasised that continued non-compliance would be considered a serious breach and could attract strict legal action under existing Indian laws. According to reports, the government also warned that failure to exercise due diligence could result in the withdrawal of intermediary protections under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act.

In response, X informed authorities that remedial measures had been initiated. According to reports, the platform acknowledged enforcement shortcomings and confirmed that it had begun strengthening its moderation systems. The steps taken included large-scale content takedowns, deletion of violating accounts, and a renewed focus on enforcing user-level restrictions to prevent further misuse of AI-generated imagery.

The ministry also instructed the platform to conduct a broader review of Grok’s governance and technical safeguards to ensure that its AI systems do not produce unlawful or harmful outputs. According to reports, the government emphasised that platforms deploying generative AI tools must maintain strong oversight, implement accountability mechanisms, and take prompt corrective action.

X, led by Elon Musk, has indicated that it will align its operations with Indian regulations. According to reports, authorities will continue to monitor compliance closely as scrutiny of AI-generated content and platform responsibility intensifies both domestically and internationally.