Elon Musk’s technology company has faced criticism from the UK’s Technology Secretary over the presence of inappropriate deepfake content on its platform. Liz Kendall issued a stern warning to Musk, emphasizing the UK’s stance against the dissemination of offensive material online.
Kendall urged Musk’s social media company to address the issue promptly and expressed her support for Ofcom to take necessary enforcement actions against the platform. Ofcom, the UK’s media regulator, confirmed that it had contacted Musk’s company regarding concerns about the creation of sexualized images of children using its AI tool, Grok.
Reports revealed that users on the platform had been requesting the AI tool to generate revealing images of individuals, including notable figures like Kate Middleton. Kendall condemned the dissemination of such deepfake content, particularly targeting women and girls, stating that it was unacceptable in a civilized society.
Furthermore, Kendall emphasized the importance of swift action by X to address the issue, highlighting the government’s legislation against the creation and sharing of explicit deepfakes without consent. Musk acknowledged the lapses in safeguards and pledged to rectify them promptly to prevent the circulation of illegal content on the platform.
The Cabinet highlighted that intimate image abuse and cyberflashing, especially those involving AI-generated content, are considered priority offenses under the Online Safety Act. Platforms are required to proactively prevent the appearance of such content online and promptly remove it if found.
In response to the concerns raised by Kendall, Grok assured that they are enhancing safeguards to prevent harmful content and comply with regulations for a safer online environment. The company affirmed its commitment to addressing the issue and supporting a secure online space for users.