IT Ministry orders X to ‘audit’ and cease morphed pictures of women in Grok chatbot

IT Ministry orders X to ‘audit’ and cease morphed pictures of women in Grok chatbot

IT Ministry orders X to ‘audit’ and cease morphed pictures of women in Grok chatbot

https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/technology/it-ministry-orders-x-to-audit-and-cease-morphed-pictures-of-women-in-grok-chatbot/article70464431.ece

Publish Date: 2026-01-02 10:58:00

Source Domain: www.thehindu.com

  • The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) directed social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to review its Grok chatbot, which allegedly responds to users’ requests to undress or alter clothing in women’s photos.
  • Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi raised concerns about Grok’s inappropriate interactions in a letter to IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.
  • The IT Ministry accused Grok of being misused to generate and share derogatory images or videos of women, which are in violation of the Information Technology Act and Rules, 2021.
  • It warned X of stringent legal consequences if it fails to remove or disable the allegedly offending content and not adhere to timelines prescribed under the IT Rules.
  • The Ministry emphasized the need for social media platforms to take responsibility for the content on their platforms and comply with legal obligations and statutory exemptions conditionally.
  • The directive comes amidst broader efforts by the Indian government to enforce stricter regulations against obscene and pornographic content on social media platforms.
  • X has until Monday, January 5, 2026, to send an ‘Action Taken Report’ on the matter.
  • The IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw had highlighted the necessity for social media firms to manage and regulate the content on their platforms.