Elon Musk Defends Grok Amidst Censorship Accusations
Musk's Statements Following Grok Controversy
Elon Musk has claimed that critics of his social media platform X are looking for "any excuse for censorship" after his artificial intelligence chatbot Grok sparked controversy for generating sexualized images of individuals without their consent. Ofcom has announced an urgent assessment of the X platform, with support from Technology Secretary Liz Kendall. However, the chair of the technology and media committees in Parliament expressed concerns that the "gaps" in the Online Safety Act could hinder the media regulator's ability to address the issue.
X has now restricted the use of the AI image generation feature to those who pay a monthly subscription, a change deemed "offensive" to victims of sexual violence by Downing Street. The BBC has obtained several examples of the free use of this AI tool, where women were depicted naked and placed in sexualized situations without their consent. Kendall stated that she expects an update from Ofcom in a few days and that the government will support initiatives to block X in the UK if such a decision is made.
Musk has reacted on the platform, posting critical messages about the government, including one showing AI-generated images of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in a bikini. "They just want to suppress free speech," Musk wrote. Ashley St Clair, the mother of one of Musk’s children, revealed that Grok generated sexualized photos of her as a minor, despite her clear statement that she does not consent to such images. St Clair accused the social media platform of "not taking enough action" to address illegal content, including images of child sexual abuse.
Ofcom confirmed that it urgently contacted X on Monday and set a firm deadline for clarifications. Ofcom's rights under the Online Safety Act include the possibility of seeking a court order to prevent third parties from helping X raise funds or make the platform accessible in the UK, should the company refuse to cooperate. Dame Chi Onwurah, the chair of the innovation and technology committee, stated that she is "concerned and confused" about how this issue is being handled.
Controversies surrounding the use of Grok to generate non-consensual sexualized images have been condemned by politicians across the board. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer called the situation "desirable" and "disgusting," while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage added that X "needs to do more" regarding changes to Grok. The Liberal Democrats have called for a temporary restriction on access to X in the UK during the investigation into the platform.
Internationally, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese echoed Starmer's sentiments, emphasizing that the material is "truly abominable." Additionally, Grok has been temporarily suspended in Indonesia, where the digital minister stated that "non-consensual deepfakes represent a serious violation of human rights and citizens' security in the digital space."
