X Blocks Thousands of Posts, Deletes Hundreds of Accounts After India Flags Obscene Grok Content

Social media platform X has blocked more than 3,500 pieces of content and deleted over 600 accounts in India, while assuring authorities that its operations now comply with the country’s online content laws, sources told Hindustan Times on Sunday.

The action comes days after the Indian government gave X Corp, owned by billionaire Elon Musk, time to submit an action-taken report over concerns related to obscene and sexually explicit content generated by its AI chatbot Grok.

According to sources, X has “admitted its mistake” and agreed to take steps to prevent the generation and spread of obscene imagery on its platform. The company also assured the government that corrective measures were being implemented to align with Indian legal requirements.

Earlier this month, the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) wrote to X, flagging what it described as serious lapses in preventing sexually explicit content. “The law of the land must prevail,” a government official had said, according to an earlier HT report.

The official also warned that X could lose the safe harbour protections provided under Indian law if it failed to comply, adding that similar action could be taken against other platforms if their AI chatbots violate content regulations. “In Grok’s case, the impact is accelerated because it operates on a platform like X,” the official said.

India is not alone in raising concerns over Grok’s content generation. Indonesia recently suspended the chatbot over fears of AI-generated pornographic material, while the UK, France and Malaysia have also previously objected to the generation of explicit content using the AI tool.

The developments highlight growing global scrutiny of AI-powered chatbots and the pressure on tech platforms to ensure compliance with local content and safety laws.