EU launches formal investigation into X and Grok over sexual images

The European Commission announced Monday it was opening a formal investigation into the social media platform X and its chatbot Grok over sexually explicit images, including of minors, that have been generated and spread on the site.

Authorities around the world have expressed revulsion at the use of Grok to create what the European Commission in its statement called “manipulated sexually explicit images, including content that may amount to child sexual abuse material.”

Alongside the commission’s investigation, similar probes have been launched in the United Kingdom and France, as well as by California Attorney General Rob Bonta, who described the “avalanche of reports detailing the non-consensual, sexually explicit material” as “shocking.”

Hours after the Bonta statement on January 16, X announced it would be making changes to Grok to tackle the creation of these images. The platform’s Safety account said X continued “to have zero tolerance for any forms of child sexual exploitation, non-consensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content” despite X owner Elon Musk belittling the complaints from his account.

The European investigation launched Monday under the Digital Services Act (DSA) will aim to establish whether X complied with its duties to identify the risks posed by Grok in the EU and put adequate safeguards in place to prevent the creation and spread of illegal sexual content.

“Sexual deepfakes of women and children are a violent, unacceptable form of degradation,” said Henna Virkunen, the EU’s commissioner responsible for technology. “With this investigation, we will determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA, or whether it treated rights of European citizens — including those of women and children — as collateral damage of its service.”

Depending on the result of the probe, there are a number of options available under the DSA, including large monetary penalties. Last month, the DSA was used to issue X a €120 million ($139 million) fine for breaking laws about transparency and protecting users from scams and disinformation.

X described that fine as “an unprecedented act of political censorship and an attack on free speech.” Musk had initially repeated this criticism in response to complaints about Grok although he subsequently stated “anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content.”

Despite the muddled response to the fine from X’s ownership and staff, a commission official told Recorded Future News that the platform’s compliance team has been engaged and responsive to the EU’s requests. The commission is confident the fine will be paid within the three-month period set after the decision, the official said.

Two weeks ago, Britain’s communications regulator Ofcom announced it too was opening a formal investigation over X potentially publishing child sexual abuse material. A similar investigation has been launched by the Paris Prosecutor’s Office in France, while Grok has been blocked by authorities in Indonesia and Malaysia.

European regulations have repeatedly drawn criticism from the United States government. On previous issues, Vice President JD Vance accused the bloc’s leadership of “attacking American companies over garbage.”

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission has recently warned domestic technology companies that following EU and U.K. regulations could amount to “censoring Americans to comply with a foreign power’s laws.” The FTC claimed this may be considered a violation of laws that prohibit unfair or deceptive practices in commerce.