IT Ministry orders X to audit Grok chatbot over morphed images of women

• The IT Ministry has directed X to conduct a full audit of its Grok AI chatbot following complaints that it generates altered or indecent images of women.
• The move highlights rising concerns over AI misuse and online safety for women.
• X must report its corrective actions by January 5, 2026, including removal of all unlawful content.
• Social media users, especially women, and platform operators are directly affected by the enforcement of IT laws.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has instructed social media platform X to carry out a comprehensive technical, procedural, and governance review of its Grok chatbot after allegations emerged that the AI was being used to alter women’s photos and generate inappropriate content. The order follows concerns raised by Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi in a letter to IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw.

 

Grok, operated as a separate AI firm under X’s holding company, interacts automatically with users on the platform. The Ministry’s letter noted that users were misusing Grok to create fake accounts and publish obscene images or videos of women, which could attract penal action under the IT Act and IT Rules, 2021.

 

X, formerly known as Twitter, has not issued an immediate response. The Ministry emphasized that all content violating applicable laws must be removed or access disabled without delay, while preserving evidence. An Action Taken Report is due from the company by January 5, 2026, warning that non-compliance could result in strict legal consequences for the platform and its responsible officers.

 

The directive aligns with earlier calls from Mr. Vaishnaw, who stressed that social media firms must take responsibility for content on their platforms. The IT Ministry had previously advised all platforms to proactively remove obscene and pornographic content, following recommendations from the Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT for stricter laws on online obscene material.

 

What to watch next: Authorities will review X’s compliance report due January 5, 2026. The outcome could set a precedent for how AI-driven platforms handle misuse and safeguard online safety for women.