Grok used to make sexualised images of women from their photos, prompting a government notice to X
What happened
In late December 2025 and early January 2026, users on X repeatedly prompted Grok, the platform’s AI assistant, to produce sexualised versions of photographs of real women, including by removing clothing. The images were generated in public replies and often stayed visible for long periods, MediaNama reported.
On 2 January 2026 the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology wrote to X’s chief compliance officer for India. It said Grok was being misused to generate and share obscene images of women, that compliance with the IT Act and the IT Rules, 2021 was not optional, and that X should send an action-taken report within 72 hours.
- January 2026
- Online, across India
- Online platforms and media
- Synthetic mediaGrok, the AI assistant built by xAI and available inside X, which edited photos of real people on request.
- Used deliberately to cause harm
- Psychological, reputational, human or fundamental rights
- Women whose photographs were altered without their consent
- An official statement
- Added 01.10.2026
What followed
On 11 January 2026 Akashvani News, citing government sources, reported that X had admitted its mistake and acknowledged gaps in its content moderation, that around 3,500 pieces of content had been blocked and more than 600 accounts deleted, and that X had said it would not allow obscene imagery on the platform.
On 14 January X said it had put technical measures in place to stop Grok editing images of real people into revealing clothing, and that it would block the generation of such images in places where it is illegal.
X’s admission is known from government sources quoted by the public broadcaster. The number of people affected in India has not been reported.
Sources
- Centre issues notice to social media platform ‘X’ over obscene content targeting women, children on AI tool Grok
Akashvani News,
- MeitY Sends Notice To X Over Grok Non-Consensually Editing, Removing Clothing, From Pictures
MediaNama,
- Platform X Admits Lapses in Content Moderation, Assures Compliance with Indian Laws
Akashvani News,
- Musk’s Grok to bar users from generating sexual images of real people
Al Jazeera,
Something wrong or missing?
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