Authorities in India, Europe, and Malaysia have launched coordinated investigations into Elon Musk's social media platform X. The probe focuses on the platform's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, which was found to be generating sexualised images of children and women. The issue came to light after users and officials flagged that Grok could produce content featuring individuals in extremely skimpy clothing on demand.
India's Stern 72-Hour Ultimatum to X
On January 2, the Indian Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) took decisive action. It sent a formal notice to X, ordering the immediate removal of all vulgar, obscene, and unlawful content created by the Grok AI. The platform was given 72 hours to comply or face legal consequences.
The MeitY notice stated that such AI-generated imagery violates the dignity, privacy, and safety of women and children. It warned that this content normalises sexual harassment and exploitation in digital spaces and undermines the legal due diligence framework for intermediaries operating in India. The ministry demanded that X submit a detailed action taken report within the same 72-hour deadline.
European Union and Malaysia Join the Fray
The backlash was not confined to India. The European Commission strongly condemned the feature, which X had previously referred to informally as a "spicy mode." A spokesperson for the Commission, Thomas Regnier, stated, "This is not spicy. This is illegal. This is appalling. This is disgusting... this has no place in Europe." France also issued a statement, calling the Grok-generated content "clearly illegal" and a potential breach of the EU's Digital Services Act.
Across the globe, Malaysia initiated its own probe. The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission announced it would summon representatives from X for an explanation. The commission urged all platforms accessible in Malaysia to implement safeguards aligned with local laws, especially concerning AI-powered features and image manipulation tools.
X and Elon Musk's Response to Global Scrutiny
After days of silence, X and its owner Elon Musk finally addressed the growing international crisis. Musk stated on Sunday that "anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content." Following his statement, X's Global Government Affairs account issued an official response.
The platform pledged to take action by removing the offending images and initiating permanent bans against accounts that uploaded the obscene material. It also committed to working with local governments and law enforcement as required. The statement emphasised that X acts against illegal content, including Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), by removing it and suspending accounts.
This incident highlights the urgent and complex challenges of regulating generative AI tools on global social media platforms, putting the onus on companies to enforce robust safety measures from the outset.
