The Elon Musk-led social media platform, X, was given additional time until January 7, 2026, to submit a detailed report on action taken against illegal content being generated through misuse of AI-based services like Grok, after it sought more time from the IT Ministry, sources told the media.
The Action Taken Report (ATR) is to be submitted by the platform to the government today after X’s ‘Safety’ handle said on Sunday that it would 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.
Reiterating Musk’s stance on illegal content, it had said that “anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content”.
On January 2, the Centre had pulled up X and directed it to immediately remove all vulgar, obscene, and unlawful content, especially generated by Grok, which is X’s built-in artificial intelligence interface, or face action under the law.
The IT ministry had also asked the US-based social media firm to submit a detailed ATR within 72 hours of the directive, after which X sought additional time until January 7 to submit the report.
Also Read: Centre gives X 72 hours to remove obscene Grok AI content
In its missive, the ministry said Grok AI, developed by X and integrated on the platform, was being misused by users to create fake accounts to host, generate, publish or share obscene images or videos of women in derogatory or vulgar manner and that the regulatory provisions under the IT Act and rules were being flouted by the platform, especially in relation to obscene, indecent, vulgar, pornographic, paedophilic, or otherwise unlawful or harmful content.
“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.
Seeing the actions with “grave concern”, the ministry said they have the effect of violating the dignity, privacy, and safety of women and children, normalizing sexual harassment and exploitation in digital spaces, and undermining the statutory due diligence framework applicable to intermediaries operating in India.
The government also warned X that only is compliance with the IT Act and rules not optional, the statutory exemptions under Section 79 of the IT Act (which deals with safe harbor and immunity from liability for online intermediaries) were conditional upon strict observance of due diligence obligations, and therefore, failure to observe them shall result in the loss of exemption from liability under Section 79 of the IT Act, and that the platform would also be liable for consequential action under other laws, including the IT Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.
The platform has been facing criticism from authorities in the UK and Malaysia too, with UK’s independent communications regulator, Ofcom, saying in a recent social media post that they had made urgent contact with X and Xai to understand what steps they had 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.
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