UPSC Prelims Practice Questions — Centre orders X to check use of Grok to morph images

Q1. The directive issued in January 2026 to X (formerly Twitter), ordering a comprehensive technical, procedural and governance-level review of its AI chatbot Grok over its misuse to morph images of women, was issued by which one of the following Union Ministries?

  • A. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting
  • B. Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
  • C. Ministry of Home Affairs
  • D. Ministry of Women and Child Development

Q2. In the context of the Information Technology Act, 2000, the 'safe harbour' provision for intermediaries refers to which one of the following?

  • A. A statutory exemption of an intermediary from liability for third-party information hosted or transmitted, subject to observance of due-diligence obligations
  • B. A mandatory data-localisation regime requiring intermediaries to store Indian user data only within India
  • C. A government-backed indemnity insuring intermediaries against cyber-attacks originating from foreign jurisdictions
  • D. A reduced-tariff zone permitting intermediaries to offer services without GST on digital advertising revenue

Q3. With reference to the due-diligence obligations imposed on Significant Social Media Intermediaries (SSMIs) under the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules, 2021, consider the following: 1. Appointment of a Chief Compliance Officer who is a resident of India. 2. Removal of content in the nature of non-consensual intimate imagery within a stipulated time-frame on receipt of a complaint. 3. Mandatory pre-publication approval from the Union Government for all AI-generated visual content hosted on the platform. 4. Appointment of a Resident Grievance Officer to receive and dispose of user complaints. Which of the above is/are NOT correctly identified as an obligation under the said Rules?

  1. Appointment of a Chief Compliance Officer who is a resident of India.
  2. Removal of content in the nature of non-consensual intimate imagery within a stipulated time-frame on receipt of a complaint.
  3. Mandatory pre-publication approval from the Union Government for all AI-generated visual content hosted on the platform.
  4. Appointment of a Resident Grievance Officer to receive and dispose of user complaints.
  • A. 1 and 3
  • B. 2 and 4
  • C. 3 only
  • D. 2 and 3

Q4. The conditional 'safe harbour' immunity available to internet intermediaries — which the Union IT Minister warned could be withdrawn from X over the Grok controversy in January 2026 — is granted under which one of the following provisions of the Information Technology Act, 2000?

  • A. Section 66A
  • B. Section 67
  • C. Section 69A
  • D. Section 79

Q5. With reference to the statutory and regulatory architecture invoked in the MeitY action against X over Grok, consider the following statements: 1. The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules were notified in 2021 under the Information Technology Act, 2000. 2. Section 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 penalises publishing or transmitting material containing sexually explicit acts in electronic form. 3. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act was enacted in the year 2023. 4. Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 continues to be a valid penal provision invoked by law-enforcement agencies for prosecuting offensive online speech. Which of the statements given above are correct?

  1. The Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules were notified in 2021 under the Information Technology Act, 2000.
  2. Section 67A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 penalises publishing or transmitting material containing sexually explicit acts in electronic form.
  3. The Digital Personal Data Protection Act was enacted in the year 2023.
  4. Section 66A of the Information Technology Act, 2000 continues to be a valid penal provision invoked by law-enforcement agencies for prosecuting offensive online speech.
  • A. 1, 2 and 3 only
  • B. 2 and 4 only
  • C. 1 and 3 only
  • D. 1, 2, 3 and 4