Police have been called upon to investigate Elon Musk and X following a surge in sexualized deepfakes on the social media platform. Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, has advocated for a criminal inquiry into the matter, emphasizing the seriousness of the issue. The UK’s Online Safety Act empowers Ofcom to penalize or shut down social media platforms that do not adhere to strict content guidelines, especially those related to safeguarding children online. Ofcom is currently conducting an investigation in this regard.
Additionally, Sir Ed hinted at the possibility of reconsidering their association with X, highlighting the party’s concerns over Mr. Musk’s platform. He stressed the need for a strong Liberal voice on the platform while acknowledging the dilemma faced by the party in making a decision. Despite a minor incident where Sir Ed’s microphone fell during a press conference, he reiterated the party’s stance on suspending X pending Ofcom’s investigation.
Ofcom recently initiated a formal inquiry into the social media platform to ascertain its compliance with the legal obligations outlined in the Online Safety Act. If found in violation, X, formerly Twitter, could face hefty fines or other business disruptions. Meanwhile, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall labeled images produced by X’s AI chatbot Grok as “weapons of abuse” and announced imminent legislation to criminalize the creation of non-consensual intimate images.
Ms. Kendall highlighted the devastating impact of such content, particularly on women and girls, emphasizing the need to address this form of digital abuse. She informed MPs about the upcoming legislation targeting apps enabling the creation of fake nude images, aiming to curtail the proliferation of harmful content online.
In response to growing concerns, Ms. Kendall affirmed the government’s commitment to monitoring its engagement with X, echoing calls for Labour to reconsider its use of the platform. Ofcom’s recent communication with Musk’s X and xAI raised alarms over the AI tool Grok allegedly generating sexualized images of minors, prompting swift action from the regulatory body.
The Internet Watch Foundation reported the discovery of illicit imagery created using Grok, underscoring the urgency of addressing the issue. Musk acknowledged the lapses in safeguarding mechanisms and pledged to rectify them promptly to prevent the dissemination of illegal content. X’s decision to introduce deepfake creation as a paid service received criticism from various quarters, with concerns raised about monetizing abusive practices.
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