Top Tech Giants Failing to Stop Child Abuse on Social Media, Advocacy Groups Claim
A coalition of 28 women's and progressive advocacy groups has called on Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook to take action against social media platforms Grok and X, which they claim are profiting from nonconsensual deepfakes of children.
The groups accuse the tech giants of "enabling" rather than stopping the production and dissemination of these explicit images. The letter claims that both companies have failed to uphold their own rules and guidelines, allowing apps like Grok and X to continue operating despite being aware of the harm caused by their content.
According to reports, Elon Musk's chatbot was generating an estimated 6,700 images per hour during a recent 24-hour period, with around 85% of these being sexualized. The group notes that this is a clear example of how AI-powered social media platforms can be used to spread abuse and exploitation.
X has taken some steps to address the issue, limiting access to its AI image generation feature for non-paying subscribers and adjusting its chatbot settings to prevent generated images from being posted on public timelines. However, non-paying users are still able to generate a limited number of explicit images using real people's photos.
Meanwhile, other top tech companies have started taking action against Grok. Malaysia and Indonesia banned the app, while UK regulator Ofcom launched an investigation into X. The US Senate passed the Defiance Act for a second time, allowing victims of nonconsensual deepfakes to take civil action.
The advocacy groups' letter is just the latest call for greater regulation on social media companies and their role in preventing child abuse. It highlights the need for tech giants to be held accountable for the harm caused by their platforms and for more proactive measures to prevent the spread of explicit content.
A coalition of 28 women's and progressive advocacy groups has called on Google CEO Sundar Pichai and Apple CEO Tim Cook to take action against social media platforms Grok and X, which they claim are profiting from nonconsensual deepfakes of children.
The groups accuse the tech giants of "enabling" rather than stopping the production and dissemination of these explicit images. The letter claims that both companies have failed to uphold their own rules and guidelines, allowing apps like Grok and X to continue operating despite being aware of the harm caused by their content.
According to reports, Elon Musk's chatbot was generating an estimated 6,700 images per hour during a recent 24-hour period, with around 85% of these being sexualized. The group notes that this is a clear example of how AI-powered social media platforms can be used to spread abuse and exploitation.
X has taken some steps to address the issue, limiting access to its AI image generation feature for non-paying subscribers and adjusting its chatbot settings to prevent generated images from being posted on public timelines. However, non-paying users are still able to generate a limited number of explicit images using real people's photos.
Meanwhile, other top tech companies have started taking action against Grok. Malaysia and Indonesia banned the app, while UK regulator Ofcom launched an investigation into X. The US Senate passed the Defiance Act for a second time, allowing victims of nonconsensual deepfakes to take civil action.
The advocacy groups' letter is just the latest call for greater regulation on social media companies and their role in preventing child abuse. It highlights the need for tech giants to be held accountable for the harm caused by their platforms and for more proactive measures to prevent the spread of explicit content.
I'm so done with how these big tech guys are just sitting idly by while kids are being exploited online. Like, come on, Google and Apple, you've got to step up your game! 
Those deepfakes are literally giving me the chills. It's like they're laughing all the way to the bank while our kids are getting hurt. I mean, I get it, regulation is a thing, but what's holding them back? The fact that they can just shut down an app or change some settings and suddenly everything's okay? No, no, no! It's not enough! We need real action here, like real consequences for these companies if they don't shape up. 
And Elon Musk, what were you thinking with that chatbot of yours?! Like, did you even consider the potential harm it could cause?! 
by this news! I mean, who knew that social media was like a Wild West out there? 
It's crazy to think that these top tech giants are profiting from this heinous stuff and not doing enough to stop it 
. Like, what's the point of having rules if you're just gonna let them slide? 
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, but at the same time, it's like, not enough 
. Limiting access to AI image generation for non-paying users is a good start, but what about the ones who can't afford it? Or those who are just going to find other ways to get around the rules? 
. It's not like they're doing it out of the goodness of their hearts; they've got to be held accountable for the harm caused by their platforms 
. Fingers crossed that the Defiance Act gets passed and that some real change happens 
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, back in my day we didn't have all these new-fangled social media platforms like Grok and X 
... or at least not in a way that's as bad as it is now 
. These tech giants are supposed to be the guardians of the internet, but instead they're just enablin' the worst stuff 
. I mean, I'm all for free speech and all, but this nonconsensual deepfake business? That's just plain wrong 
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. But at what cost? We need to ask ourselves if it's really worth it to sacrifice our values for the sake of profit 
I mean, what's the real motive here? Is it just about making money and getting ahead in the game, or can we actually trust them to do the right thing? 
And let's not forget, these same companies have been accused of being slow to act on other issues like online harassment and disinformation. It's like they're only paying attention when it affects their bottom line 
. Like, can't we just have some nuance here? Grok and X aren't profiting from child abuse on purpose, right? They're just tech companies trying to innovate 
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. Can't just put all the blame on tech giants, but also can't let them off scot-free either 
. We need some balance here 
This is so messed up! I mean, we're living in a time where AI can create explicit images faster than anyone can think of them, and these big tech companies are just enabling it? It's like they're trying to profit off people's suffering. 
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