Policy · Consumer Internet & Media

X removes 3,500 obscene posts after government notice

By Startup Enthusiast · 12 January 2026

What they do

X is a social media platform that allows users to post short messages and images

It deleted 3,500 obscene posts and 600 accounts after MeitY ordered removal of deepfake images created via Grok

The ministry warned X could lose its legal immunity under Indian law for non-compliance

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) on 2 January 2026 ordered X to remove all obscene, vulgar, or unlawful imagery generated by its AI tool Grok.
The ministry warned X that it could face prosecution if it did not comply.
MeitY said Grok was misused to create fake accounts that hosted and shared deepfake images of women in a derogatory manner.
X initially gave a response that lacked details on takedowns and future restrictions; the ministry found it unsatisfactory.
After further pressure from the ministry, X admitted its mistake and said it removed thousands of pieces of content.
X also said it will comply with Indian laws going forward.
In total, X deleted 3,500 obscene posts (mostly Grok-generated) and removed 600 accounts linked to deepfake images of women.

MeitY demanded a detailed action report including technical measures for Grok, actions against offending content, users, and accounts, and compliance systems under Indian law.
The ministry warned that X's intermediary liability exemption under Section 79 of the IT Act could be revoked for non-compliance.
X (then Twitter) had lost safe harbor protections for 3 months in 2021 over failure to appoint Indian resident officers.
Delhi Police raided Twitter India's offices in Delhi and Gurugram in 2021.
In July 2025, X claimed the government ordered removal of thousands of accounts under Section 69A; the Centre refuted this.

X is a social media platform where users post short messages called tweets.
It also offers a subscription service called X Premium that gives users access to features like the AI chatbot Grok.
Grok can generate images and text based on user prompts.
X makes money from advertising and subscription fees.
The platform operates globally, including in India where it has millions of users.