UK’s Regulator Probes Elon Musk’s X Over Grok Deepfake Concerns

Ofcom said on Monday it was examining reports that Grok had been used to create and distribute non-consensual intimate images and child sexual abuse material, raising questions about whether X is meeting its legal duty to protect people in the UK from harmful and illegal content. The watchdog said the allegations were “deeply concerning,” per Reuters, particularly because of the potential risks to children.

The probe adds to mounting pressure on X, which has already drawn scrutiny from regulators and law enforcement agencies in several countries. According to Reuters, investigations and demands for explanations have emerged from jurisdictions including France and India, while Indonesia and Malaysia temporarily blocked access to Grok over the weekend.

Ofcom stressed that online platforms operating in Britain are required to shield users from illegal material and act swiftly to remove it when identified. The regulator said it would not hesitate to launch investigations where there is suspicion that companies are failing to meet their obligations, especially when children could be harmed, according to Reuters.

X responded by pointing to earlier statements in which it said it takes action against illegal content, including child sexual abuse material, through removals, permanent account suspensions, and cooperation with authorities. The company also said that users who prompt Grok to produce illegal material face the same consequences as those who upload such content, Reuters reported.

The investigation comes after Prime Minister Keir Starmer last week described the Grok-generated images as “disgusting” and “unlawful,” and said the company needed to “get a grip” on the technology, according to Reuters. His comments intensified political pressure on regulators to act.

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Britain’s online safety law, passed in 2023 and now being rolled out in stages, is expected to face one of its first major tests through the Grok case. Reuters noted that Ofcom has already taken initial enforcement steps against pornography websites that lacked effective age verification measures.

Related: X Claims Music Publishers Colluded to Enforce Costly Licensing Terms

Asked whether X could ultimately be banned in Britain, Business Secretary Peter Kyle said that was possible, though he emphasized that such authority rests with Ofcom, according to Reuters.

Musk has pushed back against the scrutiny, writing on X over the weekend that the British government’s focus on Grok and the platform was an attempt to suppress free speech. A spokesperson for Starmer rejected that accusation, saying the government’s concern centered on child sexual abuse imagery and violence against women and girls. “It is wrong, it is unlawful and we are not going to tolerate it,” the spokesperson said, per Reuters.

Technology minister Liz Kendall welcomed Ofcom’s decision to open a formal probe and said it should be completed quickly, according to Reuters.

Under UK law, creating or sharing non-consensual intimate images or child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated sexual imagery, is illegal. Platforms are also required to prevent users from encountering such content and to remove it once they become aware of it.

Ofcom said its investigation will examine whether X adequately assessed the risk that people in Britain, including children, could be exposed to illegal material through Grok.

Source: Reuters