UK Regulator Opens Formal Investigation into X Over CSAM Scandal
The UK's media regulator, Ofcom, has launched a formal investigation into X after receiving reports that its AI chatbot account, Grok, was being used to create and share explicit images of people, potentially amounting to intimate image abuse or child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The probe focuses on whether X has complied with its duties to protect users from content illegal in the UK.
Grok's alleged misuse has raised concerns among regulators worldwide. Malaysia and Indonesia have already taken action, blocking access to Grok due to insufficient safeguards against creating non-consensual deepfakes of women and children. Indonesia described the issue as a "serious violation of human rights, dignity, and safety" in the digital space.
The investigation will examine X's measures to prevent users from accessing priority illegal content, including CSAM and non-consensual intimate images. It will also assess whether X carried out an updated risk assessment before making significant changes to its platform and if it has effective age assurance to protect children from seeing pornography.
Ofcom has asked xAI for clarification on the steps the company is taking to protect UK users and has conducted an expedited assessment of available evidence as a matter of urgency. The regulator emphasized that platforms must protect people in the UK from content that's illegal in the UK, and it will not hesitate to investigate where companies are failing in their duties, especially where there's a risk of harm to children.
The investigation comes amid reports that X has started telling users that its image generation tools were being limited to paying subscribers. However, non-paying users can still generate images through the Grok tab on the X website and app.
If Ofcom finds that X has broken the law, it can require platforms to take specific steps to come into compliance or remedy harm caused by the breach. The regulator can also impose fines of up to £18 million ($24.3 million) or 10 percent of "qualifying" worldwide revenue, whichever is higher.
The UK's media regulator, Ofcom, has launched a formal investigation into X after receiving reports that its AI chatbot account, Grok, was being used to create and share explicit images of people, potentially amounting to intimate image abuse or child sexual abuse material (CSAM). The probe focuses on whether X has complied with its duties to protect users from content illegal in the UK.
Grok's alleged misuse has raised concerns among regulators worldwide. Malaysia and Indonesia have already taken action, blocking access to Grok due to insufficient safeguards against creating non-consensual deepfakes of women and children. Indonesia described the issue as a "serious violation of human rights, dignity, and safety" in the digital space.
The investigation will examine X's measures to prevent users from accessing priority illegal content, including CSAM and non-consensual intimate images. It will also assess whether X carried out an updated risk assessment before making significant changes to its platform and if it has effective age assurance to protect children from seeing pornography.
Ofcom has asked xAI for clarification on the steps the company is taking to protect UK users and has conducted an expedited assessment of available evidence as a matter of urgency. The regulator emphasized that platforms must protect people in the UK from content that's illegal in the UK, and it will not hesitate to investigate where companies are failing in their duties, especially where there's a risk of harm to children.
The investigation comes amid reports that X has started telling users that its image generation tools were being limited to paying subscribers. However, non-paying users can still generate images through the Grok tab on the X website and app.
If Ofcom finds that X has broken the law, it can require platforms to take specific steps to come into compliance or remedy harm caused by the breach. The regulator can also impose fines of up to £18 million ($24.3 million) or 10 percent of "qualifying" worldwide revenue, whichever is higher.
I'm not surprised at all about this X stuff. Like, I've been saying it for ages - AI is just a fancy word for 'problem waiting to happen' 
. Can't these tech giants just get their act together and put some basic safeguards in place? 
I mean, who thought it was a good idea to let users create and share explicit images of people online? It's just a recipe for disaster 
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. But let's be real, this is just a small fraction of the problems that come with AI and online platforms. We need systemic changes, not just slap-on-the-wrist fines 
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this whole CSAM scandal on Grok is super worrying, and I think Ofcom's move to launch a formal investigation is a good one 
but X needs to do more than just ask users to pay for limited image generation tools 
it's like they're not taking this issue seriously at all, and that's not okay 
what really concerns me is how X can be sure that their AI chatbot isn't creating CSAM on its own, and whether they have a system in place to detect and remove such content immediately 
if Ofcom finds out that X hasn't been doing enough to protect users, there should definitely be consequences 
but consequences shouldn't just stop at fines, we need to see real change from X, like major overhauls to their moderation policies and more transparency about what they're doing to keep users safe 
I was on X and saw that Grok was making non-consensual intimate images and I immediately reported it 
. I'm just glad that Ofcom is taking action because this is a huge problem. It's not right that people can still make those types of images even if they're paying subscribers, it's gotta be fixed ASAP 
. And £18 million fine? That's like, whoa! 
... and now ofcom is investigating them and they can potentially face big fines... hopefully x will do the right thing and fix their platform ASAP 
... but how did this even happen in the first place? 
I mean, it sounds like there were some technical issues that needed to be sorted out, but come on, let's not jump all over them just yet 
. As a platform, they have this huge responsibility to keep users safe online, especially when it comes to kids 
. I hope Ofcom's investigation can get to the bottom of this ASAP 
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I'm kinda surprised it's taken this long for Ofcom to open an investigation into X's Grok AI chatbot 
. I mean, I've been saying it for ages - just because something's on the internet doesn't mean it's safe or allowed. And now we're seeing the real consequences of people being careless with that stuff. Like, yeah, blocking access to Grok in Malaysia and Indonesia is a good start, but we need more concrete steps here in the UK 
. I'm not sure what kind of measures Ofcom's looking for, but I hope it's more than just some generic 'we're taking steps to prevent this' stuff 
I'm totally shocked about this 
if it wants to regain trust with UK users and regulators. Creating explicit images using Grok's AI chatbot without proper consent or safeguards is a massive no-no 
. Ofcom has got the right to investigate, and I'm hoping they'll take this seriously 
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, and I hope they use this as an opportunity to revamp their platform 
. Age assurance is key, especially when it comes to children 
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It's not just about following the law, it's about being a responsible platform that cares about its users' well-being.
that's a no-go in my book 
I hope they take serious action against X if they find out they've broken the law 
and now theres a formal investigation?? ofcom is all over it 
and not just shift the blame to uk regulators 
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... and what about all those paying subscribers who are still making these images? shouldn't they face consequences too?