Social media giant X, formerly Twitter, is facing global condemnation and some criticism of its AI chatbot Grok for making sexually explicit images of children and women on billionaire Elon Musk’s platform.
On Monday, Indonesia and Malaysia became the first countries in the world to ban Grok AI, citing concerns about non-consensual pornography.
“The government sees serious acts of non-consensual sex as a serious violation of human rights, dignity and safety of citizens in the digital environment,” said Indonesia’s Minister of Communications and Digital Affairs Meutya Hafid in a statement.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission noted the “repeated misuse” of the tool to produce misleading, sexually graphic and deceptive images, including content involving women and children.
The regulator said notices were issued this month to X Corp. and xAI looking for stronger defenses.
The European Commission is distraught, ordering X to keep all documents related to its AI chatbot – an order that has raised questions about whether legal action will follow.
“We are well aware of the fact that Grok’s X now offers an explicit sexually explicit mode with child-like effects,” EU Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said in a statement.
“This is unfounded. This is illegal. This is appalling. This is disgusting. I can assure you that we are looking into this issue.”
Sweden’s deputy prime minister, Ebba Busch, became the target of sexist hoaxes when AI-generated photos of her in a bikini went viral on stage.
“I undressed against Elon Musk’s Grok in X. And let me be clear – As a woman, I decide when, where and to whom I will show myself in a bikini. I have two children. My daughter is nine years old. I don’t want this to happen to her,” said Busch in response to the video he posted on X.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson described the images as “a form of gender-based violence” and said: “Disgusting, unacceptable, offensive.”
On Monday, the United Kingdom’s online security watchdog launched an investigation into X over “sexual images” produced by Grok.
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“There have been serious reports of the Grok AI chatbot account on X being used to create and share images of naked people – which may amount to sexually explicit or sexually explicit images – and child pornography which may amount to child sexual abuse material (CSAM),” Ofcom said in a statement.
Watchdogs sought a response from xAI on the allegations against it and said the company responded before a Friday deadline.
If the investigation finds that X has breached the law, he could be fined up to £18 million or 10 per cent of his eligible worldwide income, whichever is greater.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said in a radio interview that X needs to “get his act together and put these issues to rest. We will act on this because it is intolerable.”
India ordered X to take action within 72 hours to fix the AI conversation or face action.
India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has issued a legal notice to X, accusing it of “misusing” its AI and allowing “indecent images or videos of women in a derogatory or obscene manner in order to humiliatingly degrade them.”
Failure to comply could result in X facing action under India’s cyber, crime and child protection laws.
In France, prosecutors have expanded the ongoing investigation of X, related to allegations that Grok promotes denial of the Holocaust – a crime in France – to include deeply sexual material.
The government has also flagged problems with the country’s communications regulator over potential breaches of the EU’s Digital Services Act.
“The Internet is not a place without law or a place of impunity: sexual offenses committed online are criminal offenses in themselves and fall fully under the law, just like those committed offline,” the French government said.
In Brazil, a lawyer reported Grok and X to federal prosecutors, urging the government to disable Grok and all of the X network’s AI operations.
Is Canada doing something?
Canada’s Artificial Intelligence Minister Evan Solomon expressed concern about serious sexual harassment when asked by Global News why the federal government and ministers are still using X.
“We must protect Canadians, especially women and youth, from exploitation. AI platforms and developers have a duty to prevent this harm,” Solomon said in a statement Thursday sent to X.
The statement did not mention X, Grok or Elon Musk specifically.
In a separate statement, he said Canada is not considering banning X.
“Contrary to media reports, Canada is not considering an X ban,” Solomon said on Sunday.
There are “active discussions” across the Canadian government on how to respond to the continued generation of sex abuse materials on X, Global News has learned.
Musk’s artificial intelligence company, xAI, responded to a request for comment from The Associated Press with the default response, “Legacy Media Lies.”
However, X did not deny that serious sexual content made with Grok exists.
However, it said in a post on its Safety account that it takes action against illegal content, including child sexual abuse, “by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with local governments and law enforcement when necessary.”
The forum also echoed comments from Musk, who said, “Anyone using Grok to create illegal content will face the same consequences as if they were uploading illegal content.”
– in files from the Associated Press and Reuters
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