European Commission launches formal investigation into Grok AI
The European Commission has started an official investigation into Grok, the AI chatbot that is part of X. Regulators are looking into whether the tool follows the rules set out in the Digital Services Act that deal with harmful online content.
The investigation is looking into the risks of manipulated sexually explicit images, including content that could be considered child sexual abuse material. Officials said that platforms need to actively stop illegal content from being posted instead of just responding after people complain.
Source: Politico/Website
Deepfake allegations raise serious child protection concerns
Reports showed that Grok could make sexualized images without consent by simply asking people to take off their clothes or make sexualized changes. These abilities made advocacy groups angry and made regulators in many places look into them more closely.
Authorities stressed that this kind of content really hurts people’s minds and has long-lasting effects on victims. There have been more calls for stricter AI oversight since automated systems have been used to make exploitative images.
Digital Services Act obligations under sharp focus
The Digital Services Act says that big platforms must look at and reduce the systemic risks that come from their services. Not dealing with illegal or harmful content can lead to big fines and other actions.
Brussels is looking into whether X put enough protections in place to stop deepfakes from spreading. Investigators will also look at the company’s internal risk assessments and response systems.
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Ursula von der Leyen warns against intolerable abuses
Ursula von der Leyen said that Europe will not stand for digital abuse against women and children. She said that decisions about technology that are only about making money can’t give up consent and child protection.
Von der Leyen stressed that the damage caused by illegal images is real and serious. Her comments showed that politicians support strict action against platforms that don’t do their job to keep people safe.
EU officials condemn non-consensual sexual deepfakes
Henna Virkkunen, the EU’s tech commissioner, called these kinds of deepfakes a violent and unacceptable form of degradation. She said that women’s and children’s rights should never be hurt by new technology.
Officials say that AI tools that aren’t kept in check make abuse happen faster and on a larger scale than ever before. They say that this reality calls for stronger accountability frameworks for generative technologies.
Previous fines and increasing regulatory pressure on X
Since December 2023, the EU has been looking into X for breaking digital content rules. The platform was fined €120 million in December for not being open and honest about its business practices under the DSA.
The Centre for Countering Digital Hate said in a report that Grok made millions of sexualized pictures in just a few days. These results made it even more important for regulators to take strong action.
Parallel investigations expand beyond the European Union
Ofcom, the UK’s media watchdog, has also started an investigation under the Online Safety Act. Authorities are looking into whether X did not do enough to keep users safe from illegal and harmful content.
These investigations show that more and more countries agree on how to regulate abuses of generative AI. Regulators say that platforms will face more and more problems if their safety measures aren’t good enough.
