Tech mogul Elon Musk's social media platform X is under scrutiny by the European Union over its AI tool Grok. Concerned officials state the technology may have been used to generate sexualised images of real people in the European Union.
Grok, an AI tool deployed by X since 2024, allows users to generate text and images, providing contextual assistance to posts.
The investigation will examine whether X properly assessed and mitigated risks associated with deploying Grok’s functionalities in the EU. This includes the spread of illegal content, such as sexually explicit images and material that may constitute child sexual abuse content, which the Commission says has exposed EU citizens to serious harm.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, described the sexual deepfakes as a “violent, unacceptable form of degradation.”
Separately, the Commission has extended its December 2023 investigation into X’s recommender systems, which guide the content shown to users, and the company’s compliance with Digital Services Act obligations.
The Digital Services Act (DSA) is an EU law designed to regulate online platforms, ensuring they take responsibility for illegal content, systemic risks, and the protection of users’ fundamental rights. It imposes strict obligations on large platforms like X, requiring provide transparency, and cooperate with regulators across the European Union.
“With this investigation, we will determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA, or whether it treated the rights of European citizens, including those of women and children, as collateral damage of its service,” Virkkunen noted.
The extension seeks to assess whether X’s switch to a Grok-based recommendation algorithm has been accompanied by proper risk assessments.
If the Commission finds breaches of the DSA, X could face fines of up to 6% of its global annual turnover, which is likely to be in the ballpark of $2.2 billion to $2.5 billion in 2025–2026, according to Investing's calculations. It would suggest a potential penalty on the order of roughly $130 million to $150 million.
Regina Doherty, Irish member of the European Parliament, said, “There are serious questions over whether platforms such as X are meeting legal obligations to assess risks properly and prevent illegal and harmful content from spreading."
"The EU has clear rules to protect people online — no company operating in the EU is above the law,” Doherty stated.
The European Commission has said the investigation will be conducted as a priority.
Individuals negatively affected by AI-generated illegal content are advised to seek support at the national level and may lodge complaints with the Digital Services Coordinator in their member state.
The investigation follows multiple regulatory actions against X, including a $142 million fine in December 2025 over the platform’s “blue tick” verification system, which the Commission said misled users.
National authorities, including Ireland’s Coimisiún na Meán, are supporting the investigation. The Commission may conduct interviews, request information, or impose interim measures if X fails to implement meaningful adjustments.
X has previously stated that Grok no longer digitally alters images to remove clothing in jurisdictions where such content is illegal.
Nonetheless, the platform has faced similar investigations in Australia, France and Germany, and Grok was temporarily banned in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Campaigners and victims have voiced alarm at the potential for AI-generated sexual content to cause harm, emphasising that the ability to create such images “should never have happened.”
Elon Musk posted an image on X on Monday seemingly mocking the new restrictions, and has publicly criticised regulators, particularly in the UK, calling scrutiny of the image-editing function “any excuse for censorship.”
In the United States, Senator Marco Rubio and the FCC condemned the EU’s approach, claiming the fine was “an attack on all American tech platforms.”
Musk reposted Rubio’s statement with the comment “absolutely.”
The UN's International Maritime Organization has paused escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near...
The United Nations' top human rights official has called for independent investigations into deaths in U.S. immigration detention facilities, citing a...
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead a...
An aircraft roughly the size of a car crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper on Friday evening, triggering a major emergency response and a heavy p...
Montenegrin police, working alongside the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation, have arrested an Iranian national accused of carrying out a ...
The UN's International Maritime Organization has paused escort operations through the Strait of Hormuz after a cargo ship was reportedly attacked near Oman, with two U.S. officials accusing Iran of the attack.
The United Nations' top human rights official has called for independent investigations into deaths in U.S. immigration detention facilities, citing a rise in fatalities among people held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
An aircraft roughly the size of a car crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper on Friday evening, triggering a major emergency response and a heavy police presence as authorities sealed off the area and gave no immediate explanation for the incident.
An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 struck Japan's northeast coast on Thursday, but no tsunami warning was issued, no injuries were immediately reported and no irregularities were found at nuclear facilities, the authorities said.
As Western Europe battles a deadly heatwave that has shattered temperature records, disrupted transport and power supplies, and forced the closure of schools and cultural landmarks, attention is turning to whether El Niño is playing a role in the extreme conditions.
The U.S. Senate rejected a resolution on Wednesday that would have directed President Donald Trump to remove U.S. forces from hostilities against Iran unless Congress formally authorised military action.
The Kremlin has denied a Wall Street Journal report claiming Moscow is pressuring Belarus to support an expanded Russian military campaign in Ukraine.
Tens of thousands of people are still unaccounted for after two powerful earthquakes struck Venezuela. At least 589 people have been confirmed dead and hundreds are believed to be trapped under rubble, as emergency crews and international rescue teams race to respond.
The United Nations' top human rights official has called for independent investigations into deaths in U.S. immigration detention facilities, citing a rise in fatalities among people held by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
An aircraft roughly the size of a car crashed into Beijing's tallest skyscraper on Friday evening, triggering a major emergency response and a heavy police presence as authorities sealed off the area and gave no immediate explanation for the incident.
Montenegrin police, working alongside the United States' Federal Bureau of Investigation, have arrested an Iranian national accused of carrying out a series of cyberattacks that allegedly caused an estimated $3.4 billion in damage to U.S. infrastructure.
South Korea is set to dramatically expand its unmanned warfare capabilities, with plans to integrate drones across all branches of its military as tensions with North Korea continue to shape the country's defence strategy.
Fertiliser shipments through the Strait of Hormuz have begun to recover following an interim U.S.–Iran agreement aimed at stabilising the waterway after months of disruption during conflict, industry data shows.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment