Digital Sexual Violence: Plea Seeks NCW Action Against AI-Generated Obscene Images on X
NCW was urged to take suo motu cognisance over alleged misuse of AI tools on social media platform X to create and circulate non-consensual obscene images of women
A petition has been submitted before the National Commission for Women (NCW) seeking suo motu cognizance of what has been described as a growing and systematic pattern of technology-enabled sexual violence against women through artificial intelligence tools on social media platform X, formerly Twitter.
The representation, filed by Advocate Saket Sourav of the Jharkhand High Court, urges the Commission to exercise its powers under Section 10(1) of the National Commission for Women Act, 1990, and intervene in cases involving the non-consensual creation and dissemination of AI-generated obscene imagery of women.
According to the petition, X has deployed an artificial intelligence feature named “Grok,” which is allegedly being misused by anonymous and fake accounts to generate sexualised and obscene images of women without their consent. The petitioner claimed that miscreants obtain photographs of women from their social media profiles or other publicly available sources and use AI prompts to digitally remove or minimise clothing, thereby producing explicit content that is then circulated publicly on the platform.
The petition described the practice as a new and dangerous form of digital violence against women, stating that it causes irreversible harm to victims’ dignity, reputation, mental health, and sense of personal safety. It argued that the scale and speed at which such AI-generated content can be produced and shared pose unprecedented risks, particularly because digital content is difficult to contain once it goes viral.
Invoking the statutory mandate of the NCW, the petitioner contended that Section 10(1) empowers the Commission to take suo motu notice of matters involving deprivation of women’s rights, non-implementation of protective laws, and systemic failures affecting women. The plea emphasised that the Commission has previously exercised these powers in cases of sexual harassment, online abuse, morphed images, and other forms of digital violence against women.
The petition further asserted that the issue raises serious constitutional concerns. It relied on the Supreme Court’s landmark judgment in Justice K.S. Puttaswamy (Retd.) v. Union of India to argue that the non-consensual creation and circulation of sexualised imagery amounts to a grave violation of the right to privacy, dignity, and bodily autonomy guaranteed under Article 21 of the Constitution.
It was also argued that such practices disproportionately target women and create a hostile digital environment, thereby violating the right to equality under Article 14. The chilling effect on women’s participation in online discourse, the petition said, also infringes their freedom of expression under Article 19(1)(a). Reference was additionally made to Article 51A(e), which casts a fundamental duty on citizens to renounce practices derogatory to the dignity of women.
The petitioner stressed that the issue is not limited to isolated incidents but reflects a broader and systemic exploitation of emerging AI technologies. Given the viral and permanent nature of digital content, the plea warned that any delay in institutional intervention could embolden perpetrators, normalise gender-based digital abuse, and erode women’s confidence in accessing online spaces.
Highlighting the urgency of the matter, the petition called for immediate suo motu cognizance by the NCW, investigation into the misuse of AI tools on social media platforms, and appropriate directions to ensure accountability, victim protection, and policy-level safeguards.
The plea concluded by expressing hope that the Commission would step in as a constitutional and statutory guardian of women’s rights to address what it described as a serious threat to dignity, equality, and safety in the digital age.