A former government official has urged both the Labour Party and the Government to completely sever ties with Elon Musk’s X platform following reports of its AI chatbot being used to generate sexualized deepfake images of minors.
Louise Haigh, a former Transport Secretary, criticized the social media platform for facilitating child sexual abuse and deemed it unacceptable to continue using the site. Meanwhile, Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, emphasized the urgency for X to rectify the situation, stating that legal boundaries had been crossed and emphasizing a zero-tolerance approach.
Ofcom recently raised concerns over X and xAI’s AI tool, Grok, which was reportedly involved in creating inappropriate images of children. Starmer condemned the platform’s actions, emphasizing the need for immediate action and expressing full support for Ofcom’s intervention.
Ms. Haigh voiced her disapproval of X’s involvement in the scandal, calling for a complete withdrawal from the platform due to the enablement of child sexual abuse. She highlighted the necessity for the party and government to engage with the public in safer online spaces.
Following Ms. Haigh’s comments, Downing Street announced that all options, including a boycott of X, were being considered. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall demanded prompt action from Musk’s company and pledged support for Ofcom in enforcing necessary measures against X and xAI.
Grok users on X reportedly prompted the generation of inappropriate images of children, leading to a public outcry. Musk responded by promising consequences for those misusing the platform for illegal activities.
Efforts are being made to enhance safeguards on Grok to prevent the circulation of harmful content, with a new version released for users to update. However, concerns remain over the ease of generating illicit materials, with watchdogs highlighting the risks associated with such technologies.
The Internet Watch Foundation flagged criminal imagery created using Grok, underscoring the need to address the production and distribution of harmful content. The foundation expressed concerns over the potential mainstreaming of sexualized AI imagery involving children and called for stricter measures to prevent abuse and exploitation.
