Elon Musk‘s X was today blasted for ‘monetising abuse’ over sexualised images created by the social media website’s Grok AI tool – as ministers consider a ban.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall told MPs that AI was being used to create images of women ‘tied up and gagged, with bruises, covered in blood and much, much more’.
She labelled these as ‘weapons of abuse’ and also pointed to research by the Internet Watch Foundation, which has reported ‘criminal imagery of children as young as 11’.
This included ‘girls sexualised and toddlers’, Ms Kendall told the House of Commons.
She announced that, under laws passed last year, it will be a criminal offence to create or request the creation of non-consensual intimate images from this week.
Ms Kendall also noted how other legislation made sharing intimate images without someone’s consent a criminal offence for both individuals and platforms.
It came after regulator Ofcom said it was carrying out an official investigation into X under the Online Safety Act.
The Technology Secretary said the probe into Grok AI must not take ‘months and months’ and urged the regulator to complete its work ‘as soon as possible’.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall told MPs that AI was being used to create images of women ‘tied up and gagged, with bruises, covered in blood and much, much more’
The use of Grok for creating nude deepfake images has become widespread over the last few weeks, prompting condemnation from the Government and an Ofcom probe
‘The public, and most importantly the victims of Grok’s activities, expect swift and decisive action. So this must not take months and months,’ Ms Kendall told MPs.
‘But X does not have to wait for the Ofcom investigation to conclude.
‘They can choose to act sooner to ensure this abhorrent and illegal material cannot be shared on their platform.
‘If they do not, Ofcom will have the backing of this Government to use the full powers which Parliament has given them.
‘I would remind X and all other platforms that this includes the power to issue fines of up to 10 per cent of the company’s worldwide and qualifying revenue.’
Grok, developed by another company founded by Mr Musk called xAI, launched a new advanced image generation feature in July last year.
But its use for creating nude deepfake images has become widespread over the last few weeks, prompting condemnation from the Government and the Ofcom probe.
X further infuriated ministers last week when it limited Grok’s image generation and editing features to only paying subscribers of the site.
Ms Kendall told the Commons on Monday: ‘Last week X limited the image creation function to paid subscribers. This does not go anywhere near far enough.
‘It is insulting to victims to say, ‘you can still have this service if you’re willing to pay’, and it is monetising abuse.
‘So, let me be crystal clear: under the Online Safety Act sharing intimate images without someone’s consent or threatening to share them, including images of people in their underwear, is a criminal offence for individuals and for platforms.’
She added: ‘The Data (Use and Access) Act passed last year made it a criminal offence to create or request the creation of non-consensual intimate images, and today I can announce to the House that this offence will be brought into force this week.’
Ms Kendall also told MPs that the Government intends to criminalise apps which allow users to create nude fake images of people.
‘I can today confirm that we will build on all the measures I have already outlined and legislate in the Crime and Policing Bill, which is currently going through Parliament, to criminalise nudification apps,’ she said.
‘This new criminal offence will make it make it illegal for companies to supply tools designed to create non-consensual internet images, targeting the problem at its source.’
The Technology Secretary dismissed claims that the Government would be impinging on free speech with a crackdown on X.
She said the Government’s actions were ‘not as some would claim about restricting freedom of speech’, adding: ‘It is about tackling violence against women and girls.
‘It’s about upholding basic British values of decency and respect and ensuring the standards we expect offline are upheld online.
‘And it is about exercising our sovereign power and responsibility to uphold the laws of this land.’
She also confirmed the Government would keep its own participation on X ‘under review’, following calls by some Labour MPs for the Government to delete its official accounts on the site.
Grok, developed by another company founded by Elon Musk called xAI, launched a new advanced image generation feature in July last year
But Ms Kendall played down the prospect of the Government quitting X, adding: ‘I think it’s also worth bearing in mind, with 19 million people on X in this country, and more than a quarter of them saying that they use it as their primary source of news, that our views and often simply the facts, need to be heard wherever possible.’
It costs between £3.50 to £36.17 per month to become a ‘premium’ user of X, depending on which level of paid subscription is chosen.
Ofcom has powers under the Online Safety Act to fine businesses or take criminal action.
It can also order payment providers, advertisers and internet service providers to stop working with a site, effectively banning them, though this would require agreement from the courts.
Earlier on Monday, Business Secretary Peter Kyle said that blocking access to X was among the options being looked at.
Asked if Britain would consider a ban if the Ofcom probe said it was necessary to protect children, Mr Kyle said: ‘Yes, of course.
‘Ofcom acts as an enforcer, as an enforcement agency, and it must use those powers to the full extent of the law to keep people safe in this country.’
An Ofcom spokeswoman said: ‘Platforms must protect people in the UK from content that’s illegal in the UK, and we won’t hesitate to investigate where we suspect companies are failing in their duties, especially where there’s a risk of harm to children.’
Mr Musk has warned any action to block his X platform would be ‘fascist’.
Donald Trump’s White House weighed in on the billionaire’s side at the weekend, with his free speech tsar likening a possible UK ban on X to media restrictions in Vladimir Putin‘s Russia.
The Conservatives accused the Government of ‘appendage swinging’ over a potential ban of X.
Shadow technology secretary Julia Lopez told the Commons: ‘The Government’s appendage swinging over the weekend was extremely serious.
‘Ministers mooted as an urgent remedy the banning of a site of 21 million monthly users in this country, despite another minister guffawing that banning X was conspiracy theory number 3627.’
She said despite the internet being used by criminals, websites have not been banned before, adding: ‘It is an extraordinarily serious move against a platform that can be used for good, for uncovering scandal, sparking democratic revolution, and allow day-to-day the free exchange of ideas, including ideas we don’t like.’
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has said banning X is ‘the wrong answer’, while Reform UK’s Nigel Farage has said he fears the Government will end up ‘suppressing free speech’.
Speaking at a press conference in central London on Monday, Mr Farage said: ‘Nothing from the current set of regulators in Government would surprise me when it comes to the suppression of free speech.
‘Do we like and welcome the particular feature on Grok that has made the news over the weekend? No.
‘But let’s talk to Grok. They have already made one or two steps in our direction. My fear is we will end up suppressing Grok and further suppressing free speech and we do not want to do that.’
