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Agence France-Presse

The EU on Monday hit Elon Musk’s X with an investigation over AI chatbot Grok’s generation of sexualised deepfake images of women and minors, in the latest step of an international backlash against the tool.
Grok faces an outcry after it emerged that users could sexualise images of women and children using simple text prompts such as “put her in a bikini” or “remove her clothes”.
“In Europe, we will not tolerate unthinkable behaviour, such as digital undressing of women and children,” said European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen.
“It is simple – we will not hand over consent and child protection to tech companies to violate and monetise. The harm caused by illegal images is very real,” she said in a statement.
EU tech commissioner Henna Virkkunen said the probe would “determine whether X has met its legal obligations” under the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which is designed to police internet giants.
She said the rights of women and children in the EU should not be “collateral damage” of X’s services.
Brussels said it was investigating whether X had properly mitigated “risks related to the dissemination of illegal content in the EU, such as manipulated sexually explicit images, including content that may amount to child sexual abuse material”.

Three million images
According to research published on Thursday by the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a non-profit watchdog, Grok generated an estimated three million sexualised images of women and children in a matter of days.
As part of the new probe, the EU said it was widening an existing investigation into X aimed at tackling the spread of illegal content and information manipulation.
Musk’s social media platform has been the target of an investigation since December 2023 under the EU’s digital content rules.
Brussels slapped a €120 million (US$140 million) fine on X in December for violating the transparency obligations of the DSA, triggering angry reactions from US President Donald Trump’s administration.
The breaches included the deceptive design of its “blue checkmark” for supposedly verified accounts and failure to provide access to public data for researchers.
The EU has insisted it will enforce its rules despite pressure from Washington.
The dispute over tech regulation comes as the bloc has grappled with the Trump administration on multiple other fronts – from the Ukraine war to trade to Greenland.


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European Union

EU opens probe into Elon Musk’s Grok over sexual AI deepfakes

The EU will investigate Elon Musk’s Grok chatbot for allegedly sharing illegal content, risking a hefty fine. Photo: TNS

A billboard in London urges the UK Prime Minister to ban X and Grok after reports that Grok generated sexualised images of minors. Photo: Reuters

As more nations block Grok for obscene content, calls for Asean-wide curbs mount

The Grok AI website displayed on a mobile phone as a nationwide restriction on the service took effect in Malaysia earlier this month. Photo: EPA

Indonesian Communications and Digital Affairs Minister Meutya Hafid (right) talks to students at a school in Depok, West Java, last year. Her ministry has summoned X officials to discuss concerns over deepfakes. Photo: AP

A poster at a bus stop in London featuring an image of US tech billionaire Elon Musk calling for users of his X social media platform to delete their accounts due to the AI chatbot Grok’s image-creation feature. Photo: AFP

Malaysia says X must prove Grok is safe before ban is lifted: ‘abuse is not freedom’

Screens display the logo of Grok and its founder Elon Musk. Photo: AFP

A billboard organised by corporate accountability group Eko urging UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to ban X and Grok passes through Westminster on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters 

Malaysia’s communications minister Fahmi Fadzil answers questions at a press conference on March 22, 2024. Photo: AFP

South Korea begins investigation into Grok, sexually exploitative images

A bus stop displays a poster put in place by protest group Everyone Hates Elon, calling for a boycott of Elon Musk’s social media platform X, in London, Britain, on January 14. Photo: Reuters

A billboard organised by corporate accountability group Eko passes through Westminster urging UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer to stand up to Elon Musk and ban X and Grok, in London, Britain, on January 14. Photo: Reuters

Musk’s xAI sued over Grok deepfakes – this time, by mother of his child

X owner Elon Musk and Ashley St Clair. Photo: X/stclairashley

Ashley St. Clair delivers a speech during a European Parliament leaders of Identity and Democracy group convention on December 3, 2023. Photo: AFP

A poster exhorting users of Elon Musk’s X to delete their accounts due to Grok’s image-creation feature is seen at a bus stop in London on Tuesday. Photo: AFP

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Brussels targets X with a new probe into ‘digital undressing’, vowing to protect women and children from illegal AI content


Brussels targets X with a new probe into ‘digital undressing’, vowing to protect women and children from illegal AI content.


EU opens probe into Elon Musk’s Grok over sexual AI deepfakes

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Brussels targets X with a new probe into ‘digital undressing’, vowing to protect women and children from illegal AI content

Brussels targets X with a new probe into ‘digital undressing’, vowing to protect women and children from illegal AI content