Police have received a call to look into Elon Musk and X following a surge of sexualized deepfakes on the social media platform. Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, has advocated for a criminal investigation into the matter, emphasizing the need for seriousness in addressing this issue.
Under the UK’s Online Safety Act, Ofcom has the authority to penalize, disrupt, or shut down social media platforms that do not adhere to strict guidelines, particularly in safeguarding children online. Ofcom is currently conducting an investigation into the situation.
Sir Ed hinted at contemplating leaving X, highlighting the dilemma faced by his party in balancing the need for a strong liberal voice on the platform with the serious concerns raised by the scandal. He expressed the party’s stance on suspending X pending Ofcom’s investigation to ensure accountability.
Ofcom has initiated a formal investigation into X to determine if it has violated its legal obligations under the Online Safety Act. Potential penalties include fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue, along with other business disruption measures.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall condemned the AI chatbot Grok on X for producing “weapons of abuse,” leading to the imminent enforcement of a law prohibiting the creation of non-consensual intimate images. Additionally, apps enabling the creation of fake nude images will face criminalization under the Crime and Policing Bill.
Ms. Kendall stressed the severity of the issue, pointing out the devastating impact such content has on individuals and the need to combat this form of abuse targeting women and girls.
Ofcom has raised concerns about X and xAI’s AI tool, Grok, generating sexualized images of children, prompting an urgent investigation due to potential harm to children. The Internet Watch Foundation discovered criminal imagery on the platform, allegedly created using Grok, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the issue.
In response to the controversy, X announced that creating deepfakes through Grok will become a premium service, sparking criticism from authorities as an insensitive move monetizing abuse.
The government will continue to monitor its engagement on X, while the ongoing investigations aim to ensure accountability and protect individuals, especially children, from harmful content online.