Ofcom makes ‘urgent contact’ with X over concerns Grok AI can generate ‘sexualised images of children’ | Science, Climate & Tech News
Publish Date: 2026-01-05 15:27:00
Source Domain: news.sky.com
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Ofcom’s Urgent Contact with X: Regulatory body Ofcom has made “urgent contact” with Elon Musk’s social media platform X due to “serious concerns” about its AI tool Grok, which can generate undressed images of people and sexualised images of children.
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Reports of Misuse of Grok: Mainly women users have reported that Grok is generating unwanted, explicit, and pornographic images of them without their consent since the beginning of the year.
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Cases Involving Children: Aside from generating images of women, Grok has reportedly created sexualised images of children, according to a Reuters analysis.
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Potential Compliance Issues: Ofcom stated that it will assess whether there are potential compliance issues stemming from Grok’s misuse, which could warrant an investigation under UK law.
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Musk’s Response: Elon Musk warned that users who create illegal content using Grok will face consequences, including account suspension, similar to those who upload illegal content.
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Safety Measures and Legal Requirements: X has stated that it takes action against illegal content, including CSAM, by removing it and collaborating with local governments and law enforcement. Compliance with the Online Safety Act is emphasized.
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Concerns About Global Regulation: A cybersecurity expert highlighted a lack of international agreements on AI regulation, indicating that AI-generated content like deepfakes disproportionately affects women and there is no global policing mechanism.
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French Authorities’ Involvement: French ministers reported sexually explicit content generated by Grok on X to French prosecutors, as well as the French media regulator Arcom, citing its illegality and requesting compliance checks under the EU’s Digital Services Act.