In brief
The European Commission has initiated an investigation into X, the platform owned by Elon Musk, after allegations surfaced that its AI feature Grok was utilized to create inappropriate sexualized images of real people. This investigation follows similar concerns raised by Ofcom in the UK. If found in violation of the Digital Services Act, X could face fines up to 6% of its annual global revenue. As discussions continue regarding the implications of digital content manipulation, lawmakers stress the need to protect European citizens from harmful online content.
The European Commission has launched an investigation into Elon Musk's X over concerns its AI tool Grok was used to create sexualised images of real people.It follows a similar announcement in January from the UK watchdog Ofcom.If the site is found to have breached the rules of the EU's Digital Services Act, the Commission could fine the company up to 6% of its global annual turnover.A previous statement from X's Safety account said the social media platform had stopped Grok from digitally altering pictures of people to remove their clothing in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.Regina Doherty, a member of the European parliament representing Ireland, said the Commission would assess whether manipulated sexually explicit images have been shown to users in the EU.Campaigners and victims argued the ability to generate such images using the tool should have never happened, with Ofcom confirming its investigation would remain ongoing.The EU regulator also mentioned it may impose interim measures if X refuses to implement meaningful adjustments.Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy at the Commission, described the sexual deepfakes as a violent, unacceptable form of degradation. She asserted that the Commission would determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA, and whether it has treated the rights of European citizens as collateral damage.Prior to the Commission's announcement, Elon Musk posted a picture on X appearing to trivialize new restrictions around Grok. Musk has previously criticized those scrutinizing the app's image-editing function, labeling it as a pretext for censorship.Other investigations into the platform's chatbot are underway in Australia, France, and Germany. Grok faced a temporary ban in Indonesia and Malaysia, though the latter has since lifted the ban.In a recent statement to Reuters, Doherty addressed serious questions regarding platforms like X meeting their legal obligations to prevent the spread of illegal and harmful content.The investigation follows the EU's previous fine of €120m (£105m) against X for misleading use of blue tick badges, raising concerns over the platform's practices and the EU's regulatory efforts on American tech companies.
