Social media platform X (Twitter) has accepted that there were lapses in handling content on its platform and has assured the Modi government that it will operate fully in line with Indian laws. Government sources said the assurance was given after strong action by authorities over the spread of obscene and sexually explicit content linked to X’s AI chatbot, Grok.
X Blocks Content, Will Delete 600 Accounts Over Grok Obscene Images Row: Government Sourceshttps://t.co/j9Ck7YVOPA@akhileshsharma1 reports pic.twitter.com/DNcsEomgXG
— NDTV (@ndtv) January 11, 2026
As part of the corrective steps, X has blocked around 3,500 pieces of content and permanently deleted more than 600 accounts. The platform has also told the government that it will not allow obscene imagery or unlawful material to appear on the platform going forward. The action follows clear directions from the Modi government to clean up content generated and circulated through Grok.
MeitY steps in, Issues clear directions
On 2nd January, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) wrote to X, flagging serious failures in stopping sexually explicit and unlawful content. An official underlined that “the law of the land must prevail” and warned that failure to comply could lead to the loss of legal protection available under Indian law.
MeitY directed X to remove all vulgar and unlawful content within 72 hours and take action against users involved in spreading such material. After X sought additional time, the deadline was extended by 48 hours. In a compliance report submitted later, the platform said it was taking action against illegal content across the site and introducing tighter checks for Grok.
Grok under direct Govt scrutiny
Officials said the Modi government has made it clear that Grok cannot be treated as a neutral tool. According to the government’s position, AI systems that generate content must be seen as content creators and held accountable under the law. “Just like a human content creator is responsible for what they produce, an artificial content creator like Grok must also follow legal limits,” an official said.
X had earlier informed the government that it was adding extra guardrails for Grok, including stricter image-generation filters and improved safeguards to prevent misuse of user images. MeitY is currently reviewing X’s detailed response outlining the steps taken to control obscene and unlawful content.
Despite these assurances, officials noted that Grok continued to generate sexually explicit responses based on user prompts as recently as Wednesday evening, which has drawn criticism and closer scrutiny, not just in India but also from governments abroad.
‘Safe Harbour’ protection at risk
In order to X, MeitY also asked the platform to carry out a full technical, procedural and governance-level review of Grok. This includes how prompts are processed, how outputs are generated, how images are handled and whether safety guardrails are strong enough to stop nudity, sexualisation and unlawful content.
The ministry flagged serious lapses under the Information Technology Act, 2000 and the IT Rules, 2021. It warned that failure to show clear and effective compliance could put X’s “safe harbour” protection under Section 79 of the IT Act at risk. This protection shields platforms from liability for third-party content, but only if they strictly follow Indian law.
Officials said the Modi government is prepared to withdraw this protection if needed, stressing that the safety, dignity and digital rights of citizens come first.
Past compliance issues and global pushback
X, earlier known as Twitter, has faced similar issues in the past. The platform had briefly lost its legal immunity after failing to appoint key India-based compliance officers as required under the IT Rules, before restoring compliance following court intervention.
India is not alone in raising concerns over Grok. Countries such as Indonesia have suspended the chatbot over AI-generated pornographic content, while the UK, France and Malaysia have also pushed back against the generation of explicit material using AI tools.
The Modi government has made it clear that social media platforms must take full responsibility not only for user content but also for what their AI systems create, and that compliance with Indian law is not optional.
