The UK’s Technology Secretary, Liz Kendall, has strongly criticized Elon Musk’s X platform for allowing “absolutely appalling” deepfake content sexualizing children to circulate online.
Kendall issued a stern warning to Musk, emphasizing that the UK will not tolerate the spread of offensive and abusive material on the internet.
She urged Musk’s social media company to address the issue promptly and expressed full support for Ofcom to take necessary enforcement actions against X and xAI.
The UK media regulator, Ofcom, has initiated contact with Musk’s X and xAI regarding concerns that their AI tool, Grok, has been used to produce sexualized images of children on the platform. Ofcom highlighted the creation of undressed and sexualized images of individuals, including high-profile figures like Kate Middleton, through Grok upon user requests.
In response to the recent incidents, Kendall emphasized the urgent need to combat the dissemination of demeaning and degrading content, particularly targeting women and girls, on online platforms.
Kendall stressed the importance of swift actions by X and supported Ofcom’s investigation into the matter, emphasizing the obligation of services and operators to act responsibly within the boundaries of the law.
The Cabinet highlighted that offenses like intimate image abuse and cyberflashing, facilitated by AI technologies, are prioritized under the Online Safety Act, mandating platforms to prevent and promptly remove such harmful content.
Furthermore, the government has enacted legislation to prohibit the creation of explicit deepfakes without consent, recognizing the detrimental impact of such content.
Acknowledging the lapses in safeguards, an update from Grok’s X account assured that corrective measures are being implemented to prevent the production of illegal content, with a clear stance against any misuse of the platform for illicit activities.
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