Musk Warns Grok Users Over Illegal Content
MeitY directs X to remove obscene AI-generated content, seeks report within 72 hours
- Elon Musk says Grok users creating illegal content will face legal consequences
- MeitY orders X to remove obscene and unlawful AI-generated content
- Government seeks Action Taken Report within 72 hours
- Issue raised by MP Priyanka Chaturvedi in Parliament
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 4th Jan: Microblogging platform X owner Elon Musk on Saturday said that users creating illegal content using the platform’s AI chatbot Grok would face the same legal consequences as those uploading unlawful content.
His remarks came a day after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) directed X to immediately remove vulgar, obscene and unlawful content, particularly that generated by Grok, or face action under Indian law.
“Anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content,” Musk said in a post on X, responding to a discussion on inappropriate AI-generated images.
The ministry has also asked the US-based social media firm to submit a detailed Action Taken Report (ATR) within 72 hours from the date of issuance of the order. MeitY said it had received complaints and representations, including from parliamentary stakeholders, that certain categories of content circulating on X may not be compliant with Indian laws relating to decency and obscenity.
The government’s directive followed a letter by Rajya Sabha MP Priyanka Chaturvedi to Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, seeking urgent intervention over increasing misuse of Grok to generate vulgar and derogatory images of women on social media.
According to MeitY, the Grok AI service is being misused by users to create fake accounts that host, generate and share obscene images and videos of women in a derogatory and vulgar manner. The ministry had earlier, on December 29, asked social media platforms to review their compliance mechanisms and act against obscene and unlawful content, warning of prosecution in case of failure.
The advisory was issued after MeitY observed that platforms were not strictly enforcing rules against vulgar, inappropriate and unlawful online content.
