People engaging in the creation of non-consensual intimate images will now face criminal charges following a surge in sexualized deepfakes on Elon Musk’s X platform. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall labeled the AI-generated images by X’s AI chatbot Grok as “weapons of abuse,” prompting Ofcom to initiate an official investigation into the social media platform.
During a parliamentary address, Kendall announced that a new law criminalizing the creation or pursuit of non-consensual intimate images will be enforced starting this week. Additionally, applications enabling users to produce fake nude images will be outlawed under the Crime and Policing Bill currently progressing through Parliament. This legislation aims to target the issue at its root by making it illegal for companies to distribute tools designed for generating non-consensual internet images.
Simultaneously, media regulator Ofcom launched a probe to determine whether X has failed to meet its legal obligations under the Online Safety Act. Potential penalties for non-compliance may include fines of up to £18 million or 10% of the company’s global revenue, along with other business disruption measures such as compelling payment providers or advertising services to disassociate from the platform.
Kendall highlighted distressing reports of women depicted in degrading and harmful images circulating online, emphasizing that such content is a means of harassment and violation. She stressed that these images, particularly targeting women and girls, are not innocuous but rather constitute tools of abuse that have the power to devastate lives.
Responding to the urgency of the situation, Kendall urged Ofcom to expedite its investigation, emphasizing the need for swift and decisive action to prevent further dissemination of illegal and harmful material on X’s platform. She also indicated that the government will continuously assess its engagement with X, following calls from some MPs for the Labour Party to cease using the social media platform.
At a Labour Party meeting, Keir Starmer condemned the actions of Grok and X, denouncing their prioritization of protecting abusive users over safeguarding victims of abuse. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to upholding values and protecting the vulnerable from exploitation, warning that if X fails to address the issue promptly, regulatory intervention will be necessary.
Ofcom’s recent engagement with Musk’s X and xAI raised concerns about the potential creation of sexualized images involving children using the AI tool Grok. The regulatory body emphasized the importance of platforms upholding UK laws and protecting users, especially children, from harmful content. Investigations into these matters are being expedited to ensure compliance and address risks to vulnerable groups.
Following revelations by the Internet Watch Foundation of illicit imagery possibly linked to Grok, X acknowledged lapses in safeguards and pledged to rectify them promptly. Musk reiterated that any misuse of Grok for illegal content will face severe repercussions, aligning with efforts to combat the proliferation of harmful content on the platform.
In a controversial move, X announced that creating deepfakes through Grok will become a premium service requiring payment. This decision drew criticism from various quarters, with No10 dismissing it as disrespectful to victims of misogyny and sexual violence, while Kendall likened the approach to profiting from abuse.