Sign In
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
By signing in or creating an account, you agree with Associated Broadcasting Company's Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
New Delhi: Elon Musk-owned social media platform X is facing intense scrutiny from the Indian government after its AI chatbot, Grok, was reportedly found generating obscene images of women in response to user prompts. Following the incident, the Centre warned the platform that it could lose its “safe harbour” protection if it fails to comply with Indian law.
The issue escalated further after the chatbot allegedly generated objectionable images of minors based on user requests. Several users subsequently raised complaints and demanded strict action.
Online platforms are protected from liability for user-generated content under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act, 2000, provided they comply with government rules and act promptly on takedown orders. Section 79 grants immunity to intermediaries (platforms like Facebook, Google) for third-party content. As a significant Social Media Intermediary (SSMI), X is subject to stricter legal and compliance requirements.
On January 2, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a formal notice to X over the reported use of its AI chatbot Grok for the creation and circulation of obscene images and videos of women.
Following the circulation of such content, the Centre directed X to remove all objectionable material within 72 hours. The notice also sought action against the accounts responsible for sharing the content and warned that failure to comply could result in the withdrawal of safe harbour protection.
In 2021, X—then known as Twitter—briefly lost its safe harbour protection after failing to fully comply with the Information Technology Rules, 2021. At the time, the Delhi High Court observed that the Centre was free to take action if the platform did not adhere to the law.
Twitter later appointed key India-based compliance officers, though its legal immunity remained suspended for nearly three months.
MeitY’s latest notice has once again raised questions over the role and authority of X’s Chief Compliance Officer. “It is important that these officers have real oversight and the power to act when required,” an official was quoted as saying by The Economic Times.
