People who produce or attempt to produce non-consensual intimate images will now be committing a criminal offense starting this week due to a surge in sexualized deepfakes on Elon Musk’s X platform. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall labeled the images created by X’s AI chatbot Grok as “weapons of abuse,” prompting an official investigation by Ofcom into the social media site.
Addressing the Commons, Kendall announced the enactment of a new law that prohibits the creation or solicitation of non-consensual intimate images. Furthermore, she highlighted that applications facilitating the creation of fake nude images of individuals will be outlawed under the Crime and Policing Bill currently advancing through Parliament. This legislation aims to tackle the issue at its root by making it illegal for companies to provide tools designed for generating non-consensual internet images.
Simultaneously, media regulator Ofcom initiated an inquiry to determine if X has violated its legal obligations under the Online Safety Act. Potential penalties for non-compliance include fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue, along with other measures like compelling payment providers or advertising services to disassociate from the platform.
Kendall emphasized to MPs the severe impact of non-consensual imagery, citing examples of disturbing content shared online. She stressed that such material is not harmless but rather serves as tools of abuse, predominantly targeting women and girls, and is therefore illegal.
Urging prompt action, Kendall cautioned Ofcom against prolonged investigations, emphasizing the urgency of addressing the issue swiftly. She also advised X to take proactive measures to prevent the dissemination of illicit and harmful content on their platform before the investigation concludes.
Considering the situation, Kendall mentioned that the government will reassess its engagement with X, following calls from some MPs, including those from the Labour Party, to discontinue using the social media service.
In a Labour Party meeting, Keir Starmer condemned the actions of Grok and X as reprehensible, highlighting the need to prioritize the protection of victims over abusive users. He emphasized the government’s commitment to upholding values and defending the vulnerable against exploitation, signaling readiness to intervene if X fails to control Grok effectively.
Ofcom recently raised concerns over X’s AI tool, Grok, potentially generating sexualized images of minors on the platform, prompting an urgent investigation. Additionally, the Internet Watch Foundation reported the discovery of illegal imagery involving children produced through Grok, underscoring the need for swift action to safeguard individuals, particularly minors, from harmful content.
Acknowledging lapses in security measures, X vowed to rectify the issues promptly, reaffirming a zero-tolerance policy towards illegal content creation using Grok. The platform also announced plans to introduce a paid service for deepfake creation through Grok, drawing criticism from No10 and Kendall for what they deemed as monetizing abuse and disrespecting victims of misogyny and sexual violence.
