X blocks 3,500 posts, deletes 600 accounts after Centre flags obscene content

Following a MeitY notice over AI-generated obscene content, X removed thousands of posts and hundreds of accounts to comply with Indian laws

PGurus Newsdesk

January 11, 2026

Thousands of obscene posts blocked after MeitY notice

AI misuse under scanner as X removes accounts following government notice

Social media platform X has blocked around 3,500 posts and deleted nearly 600 accounts after the Union government flagged the circulation of obscene content on the platform, government sources said on Thursday.

According to the sources, X has assured the Centre that it will not permit the hosting or circulation of obscene material and has committed to complying with Indian laws and regulatory requirements.

The action comes a week after the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) issued a formal notice to X Corp, formerly Twitter, seeking an immediate action-taken report within 72 hours. The ministry had flagged the misuse of artificial intelligence tools, including X’s AI assistant Grok, to generate, publish and circulate obscene, explicit and indecent content.

In its directive, the Centre warned that any failure to comply would be viewed seriously and could invite strict legal action against the platform and its responsible officials under Indian law.

The ministry said it had observed several instances where users misused Grok and related AI services to create and disseminate obscene images and videos, particularly targeting women in a derogatory and vulgar manner. The notice noted that such content was being generated not only through fake accounts but also through manipulated prompts, synthetic outputs and image alterations.

MeitY directed X to conduct a comprehensive review of Grok’s technical architecture and governance framework to prevent the generation and circulation of such material. It also stressed the need for strict enforcement of user policies, including the suspension and permanent termination of accounts found violating the rules.

The government further cautioned that non-compliance could lead to the withdrawal of safe harbour protection under Section 79 of the Information Technology Act. In addition, penal action could be initiated under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The ministry said the misuse of artificial intelligence tools to create obscene content reflected serious lapses in platform-level safeguards and enforcement mechanisms, calling it a gross violation of existing legal and ethical norms.

For all the latest updates, download PGurus App.