Key Points
- The UK media regulator, Ofcom, has launched an investigation into Elon Musk’s X.
- The probe is focused on sexually intimate deepfakes created by the Grok AI chatbot.
- Prime Minister Keir Starmer has called the images “disgusting” and “unlawful.”
- X has faced a global backlash, with investigations also launched in France and India.
The UK’s media regulator, Ofcom, has launched an official investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X. The probe will look into whether sexually intimate deepfakes created by its Grok AI chatbot have violated the country’s laws. The move comes after “deeply concerning reports” that Grok has been used to create and share “undressed” images of people, including children.
The regulator is under significant pressure to act. Last week, Prime Minister Keir Starmer called the images “disgusting” and “unlawful” and said X needed to “get a grip” on Grok. He gave Ofcom his full support to take action against the company.
In the UK, creating or sharing non-consensual intimate images is illegal, and this includes AI-generated content. Tech platforms are also required to prevent users from accessing illegal content and to remove it as soon as they become aware of it.
X has been facing a global backlash over this issue. French officials have reported the company to prosecutors, and Indian authorities have demanded an explanation.
In response, X has restricted the image-generation feature to paying users and said it will permanently suspend any accounts that use it to create illegal content. When asked about the problem by Reuters, Musk’s AI company, xAI, replied with the message: “Legacy Media Lies.”
Ofcom’s investigation will determine if X failed to properly assess the risk that people in the UK would be exposed to illegal content, especially children. If the company is found to be in serious non-compliance, the regulator could ask a court to block advertisers and payment providers from working with the platform, or even have internet service providers block access to the site entirely in the UK.
