The EU is investigating Grok and X over probably unlawful deepfakes

Europe is probing Elon Musk’s X for failing to take motion to stop the unfold of AI-generated sexually specific photos together with little one sexual abuse materials (CSAM), regulators mentioned in a press release. The European Fee’s investigation might end in “additional enforcement steps” in opposition to X, not lengthy after it levied a $140 million fine in opposition to the platform.

“Sexual deepfakes of girls and kids are a violent, unacceptable type of degradation. With this investigation, we are going to decide whether or not X has met its authorized obligations below the DSA [Digital Services Act], or whether or not it handled rights of European residents — together with these of girls and kids — as collateral injury of its service,” mentioned the Fee’s govt VP, Henna Virkkunen in a press release.

The EU mentioned that it’ll assess whether or not X took measures to scale back dangers across the dissemination of unlawful content material when it deployed Grok onto the platform. These dangers embrace manipulated sexually specific photos together with content material that will quantity to CSAM. “These dangers appear to have materialized, exposing residents within the EU to severe hurt,” the Fee acknowledged.

On high of the brand new inquiry, the EC can be increasing its 2023 investigation of X over its advice algorithm and instruments used to stop the unfold of illicit content material.

The investigation is coming at a fragile time for Europe, which is already within the Trump administration’s crosshairs over its scrutiny of American tech firms. And the EU would even be going up in opposition to Musk, who’s the proprietor and has the largest megaphone on X. After X was hit with a 120 million euro ($140 million high-quality) for breaching Europe’s Digital Companies Act, Musk referred to as the EU “the fourth Reich” and mentioned in a post on X that it must be “abolished.”

In response to the inquiry, X reiterated earlier feedback it has made about Grok. “We stay dedicated to creating X a secure platform for everybody and proceed to have zero tolerance for any types of little one sexual exploitation, nonconsensual nudity and undesirable sexual content material,” a spokesperson advised The New York Times.