The UK’s probe into X comes after Malaysia and Indonesia blocked access to Grok AI.
UK regulator Ofcom has launched an investigation into Elon Musk’s X over concerns that users prompting Grok AI to ‘nudify’ people might be creating and disseminating child sexual abuse material (CSAM) on the platform.
Musk outfitted xAI’s Grok with its single-prompt image editing ability on 24 December. In the weeks since, the tool has allowed X users to sexually exploit people in images and videos with prompts such as “Grok, take this photo and put her in a bikini” and “Grok take off her dress”. These generally targeted women and children.
As a response to the sharp criticism from users and governments alike, X decided to restrict the feature to paid users last week. But this doesn’t stop users from requesting Grok to edit such images for free on its standalone website and app. This could also incentivise X users to subscribe for access.
The internet and telecoms regulator Ofcom states that the resulting content could amount to intimate image abuse, pornography and CSAM.
The regulator said it reached out to X on 5 January to ask what steps it took to comply with its legal duties to protect UK users from illegal content. Following the platform’s response, Ofcom launched a formal investigation into X under the country’s Online Safety Act (OSA).
The OSA probe will examine UK users’ risk of coming across illegal content on X, taking action to prevent and take down such content, assess – in particular – the risk UK children face on X, and use age assurance to prevent children from seeing pornography on the platform.
X is liable to a fine of up to £18m or 10pc of its qualifying global revenue – whichever is greater – if it’s found that it broke the country’s law. Ofcom can also mandate “business disruption measures” through a court imposed order if in the “most serious cases of ongoing non-compliance”, which could require payment providers or advertisers to withdraw their services from the platform, or require internet service providers to block access to the site in the UK.
“Reports of Grok being used to create and share illegal non-consensual intimate images and child sexual abuse material on X have been deeply concerning,” a spokesperson for Ofcom said.
“We’ll progress this investigation as a matter of the highest priority, while ensuring we follow due process. As the UK’s independent online safety enforcement agency, it’s important we make sure our investigations are legally robust and fairly decided.”
The fresh investigation into X comes after Malaysia and Indonesia became the first countries to block access to Grok AI due to the controversy. UK technology secretary Liz Kendall has said that she would back Ofcom if it blocks access to X in the country.
Meanwhile, Irish Minister of State for Artificial Intelligence Niamh Smyth, TD has requested a meeting with X, and Irish media regulator Coimisiún na Meán is engaging with the European Commission and An Garda Síochána over the matter.
Despite the ongoing backlash X and Grok are facing, on 6 January, parent company xAI announced a $20bn Series E round.
The round saw participation from Valor Equity Partners, Stepstone Group, Fidelity Management and Research Company, Qatar Investment Authority, MGX and Baron Capital Group. Strategic investors in the round included Nvidia and Cisco Investments.
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