The UK’s safeguarding minister has urged law enforcement to actively pursue individuals who utilize Elon Musk’s Grok platform to create harmful deepfake images of children.
Jess Phillips expressed her concerns to The Mirror, emphasizing that the tech mogul’s X platform needs to take responsibility instead of making excuses as public outrage over the scandal escalates. Grok, an artificial intelligence tool offered by X, has drawn criticism for producing nude images of individuals, including minors, without their consent.
Phillips insisted that such features should not exist, highlighting the devastating impact on lives due to this form of abuse. Recently, X, formerly known as Twitter, announced that Grok’s deepfake creation service would become a paid feature, accessible only to premium users. Phillips criticized this move as inadequate, labeling it a “half-hearted measure.”
She emphasized the urgency for law enforcement to pursue those who create or distribute AI-generated images for malicious purposes, stressing that severe penalties, including up to 10 years in prison, should be imposed on offenders. Phillips condemned the notion of limiting Grok’s image generator to paid users, asserting that tools producing degrading content should not be available to anyone, regardless of payment status.
Furthermore, Phillips underscored the legal obligation of social media platforms to promptly remove such content or face substantial fines from the regulatory body Ofcom. She called for swift action from Ofcom in enforcing these regulations, highlighting the lasting trauma inflicted on victims of child sexual abuse.
Notable figures like Maya Jama have demanded that platforms cease generating unauthorized images of them. With new legislation on the horizon, the UK government aims to criminalize the creation, possession, and distribution of AI-generated exploitative images of children, punishable by up to five years in prison.
Labour’s strategy against violence targeting women and girls commits to outlawing apps that create non-consensual deepfake images of victims. Phillips reiterated the government’s commitment to combatting this issue by criminalizing the creation of intimate deepfake images without consent, with the Ministry of Justice set to enforce these laws promptly.
In response to concerns raised by Ofcom regarding Grok’s inappropriate content, Musk’s X and xAI have taken steps to address the issues and reinforce safeguards. Musk stated that individuals misusing Grok to produce illegal content will face consequences equivalent to uploading illicit material.
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