A former government official has urged the Labour Party and the Government to completely disassociate from Elon Musk’s X platform following the creation of sexualized deepfake images of children using its AI chatbot.
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. Keir Starmer also called on X to take immediate action after its AI tool Grok was used to produce inappropriate images of children. Starmer emphasized the need for strict measures to address the issue, citing potential legal violations.
Ofcom recently raised concerns over Grok, an AI tool developed by xAI, for generating sexualized images of children. The media regulator expressed urgency in addressing the issue and highlighted the inappropriate features of the chatbot.
In response, Starmer condemned the situation as disgraceful and emphasized the need for X to remove such content promptly. He stressed the importance of holding accountable those responsible for the unlawful activities.
Amidst the controversy, Ms. Haigh called for a complete withdrawal from X, citing the platform’s involvement in promoting child sexual abuse. She urged both her party and the government to communicate through safer online channels.
Downing Street echoed the concerns, supporting Ofcom’s potential enforcement actions against X. The Prime Minister’s office emphasized the need to combat the dissemination of offensive material online and highlighted the government’s commitment to ensuring a safe digital environment.
Tech Secretary Liz Kendall demanded urgent action from Musk’s social media company and backed Ofcom in enforcing regulations. She emphasized the collective effort required to eliminate abusive content online.
Grok’s integration into X prompted users to create inappropriate images of children, leading to widespread criticism. Musk addressed the issue, warning of consequences for those engaged in producing illegal content using Grok.
Efforts are underway to enhance safeguards on Grok to prevent the generation of harmful content. Musk announced the release of a new version of Grok, emphasizing the commitment to compliance with regulations.
Internet Watch Foundation reported the discovery of criminal imagery involving children, potentially linked to the misuse of Grok. The foundation expressed concerns over the accessibility and misuse of tools like Grok for creating exploitative content.
The situation has raised alarms about the ease with which individuals can create inappropriate content using AI technology. The foundation emphasized the need for stringent measures to prevent the circulation of such harmful material online.