UK media regulator Ofcom on Monday launched a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s X over the platform’s AI chatbot Grok and its image creation feature, which has reportedly been used to generate sexualised deepfakes.
Grok has drawn growing international criticism for allowing users to create and share sexualised images of women and children through simple text prompts.
Ofcom described the reports as “deeply concerning”.
It said in a statement that the undressed images of people “may amount to intimate image abuse or pornography, and sexualised images of children… may amount to child sexual abuse material”.
X did not immediately respond when contacted by AFP.
Ofcom said it wrote to X on January 5, asking the company to explain what measures it has put in place to protect UK users. While it did not disclose details of the exchange, the regulator confirmed that X responded within the required period.
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The investigation will assess whether X “failed to comply with its legal obligations”.
Under Britain’s Online Safety Act, which came into force in July, platforms that host potentially harmful content must introduce strict age verification measures, including facial checks or credit card verification. It is also illegal to create or share non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated deepfakes.
Ofcom has the power to impose fines of up to 10 percent of a company’s global revenue for violations.
In response to criticism, Grok announced a new monetisation policy at the end of last week, stating that the tool was now “limited to paying subscribers”, alongside a link to a premium subscription plan.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer criticised the move, calling it an affront to victims and “not a solution”.
Indonesia became the first country to block access to the tool on Saturday, with Malaysia following on Sunday. The European Commission has also said it is reviewing complaints about Grok.
AFP