Critics of social media site X “want any excuse for censorship”, Elon Musk has claimed as his website faces the threat of being shut down in the UK over deepfake pornography and child abuse images.
The billionaire appeared defiant last night despite the outcry over reports X’s AI chatbot Grok was creating sexualised images of people, including children, at users’ request.
Pointing to claims other AI programmes created non-sexualised images of women in bikinis, he posted on X: “They want any excuse for censorship.”
Criticism of X has focused on Grok’s production of images of child abuse and manipulation of photographs of real women and girls to remove their clothes.
A Grok response shows the limiting of image generation was in response to recent concerns around misuse
Since late December, new image edit features on Grok have allowed users to create sexually explicit images of people, including children.
It has led to widespread criticism from politicians, regulators and campaign groups.
X appeared to have changed Grok’s settings yesterday, with the chatbot telling users that only paid subscribers could ask it to manipulate images.
However, reports suggested this only applied to those making requests in reply to other posts, and other ways of editing or creating images, including on a separate Grok website, remained open.
Minister of State with responsibility for AI Niamh Smyth has described X putting some Grok image editing features behind a paywall as “window dressing”.
X has made contact with Ms Smyth to say representatives from the company will meet with her in the coming weeks. Ms Smyth had requested a meeting with X earlier this week.
Children’s Ombudsman Dr Niall Muldoon said yesterday the update “makes no major difference”.
Media regulator Coimisiún na Meán has said it is engaging with the European Commission over the concerns. X has been contacted for comment.
X has made contact with Minister of State with responsibility for AI Niamh Smyth to say representatives from the company will meet with her in the coming weeks
The platform previously said it takes action against illegal content on X, including child sexual abuse material, by removing it, permanently suspending accounts, and working with governments and law enforcement agencies.
In Britain, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said she would back regulator Ofcom if it decided to effectively block X if it failed to comply with UK laws, saying: “Sexually manipulating images of women and children is despicable and abhorrent.”
Ofcom said it was undertaking an “expedited assessment” after X and responded to an urgent contact on Monday.
But Mr Musk responded by sharing a post from US legislator Anna Paulina Luna threatening to sanction both British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the UK if X was blocked in the country.
On yesterday’s changes on limitations to image editing, Ms Kendall said it was “totally unacceptable for Grok to allow this if you’re willing to pay for it” and added she expected an update on Ofcom’s next steps “in days, not weeks”.
Ofcom has powers under the Online Safety Act to fine businesses up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue, as well as to take criminal action.
It can also order payment providers, advertisers and internet service providers to stop working with a site, effectively banning them, though this would require agreement from the courts.
Ms Kendall also pointed to plans to ban nudification apps as part of the Crime and Policing Bill going through Parliament and said powers to criminalise the creation of intimate images without consent would come into force in the coming weeks.