The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology took action against X Corp for its failure to prevent the spread of obscene and indecent content on its platform. X Corp has been instructed to submit an action taken report within 72 hours to ensure compliance in stopping the dissemination of such content through services like ‘Grok’ and xAl’s other offerings. The ministry emphasized the need for X Corp to review and enhance its technical and governance frameworks to curb the creation of unlawful content.
The directive mandates X Corp to enforce strict user policies, including the suspension and termination of violators, and immediate removal of offending content without altering evidence. Non-compliance could result in the loss of safe harbor under Section 79 of the IT Act and trigger legal actions under various laws, including the Indecent Representation of Women Act and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. The ministry expressed concerns over the platform’s failure to adhere to regulatory provisions, potentially violating existing laws related to obscene and harmful content.
The ministry highlighted the misuse of the Grok AI service by X Corp users to create accounts for sharing derogatory and indecent images or videos of women. This misuse, which includes targeting women who post their content, reflects a significant lapse in platform safeguards and enforcement mechanisms. The ministry also noted the misuse of artificial intelligence technologies, emphasizing the need for compliance with applicable laws to prevent the normalization of sexual harassment and exploitation in digital spaces.
