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EU Launches Probe Against Elon Musk’s X Over Sexualised Deepfake Images
The EU investigates X’s AI chatbot Grok for generating sexualised deepfake images of women and minors, citing violations of the Digital Services Act. Ursula von der Leyen vows strict action.
ND
by News Desk
2026-01-26
EU Launches Probe Against Elon Musk’s X Over Sexualised Deepfake Images

The European Union has launched a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X over its AI chatbot Grok generating sexualised deepfake images of women and minors, in the latest move of international scrutiny against the tool.

The probe comes after it was revealed that Grok allowed users to sexualise images of women and children using simple text prompts, such as “put her in a bikini” or “remove her clothes.”

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the behaviour, stating, “In Europe, we will not tolerate unthinkable behaviour, such as digital undressing of women and children. It is simple — we will not hand over consent and child protection to tech companies to violate and monetise.” She added that the harm caused by illegal images is “very real.”

EU Tech Commissioner Henna Virkkunen said the investigation would assess whether X has complied with its obligations under the bloc’s Digital Services Act (DSA), which governs internet platforms to prevent the spread of illegal content. “The rights of women and children in the EU should not be collateral damage of X’s services,” she said.

The investigation will examine whether X properly mitigated risks related to the dissemination of illegal content, including manipulated sexually explicit images and potential child sexual abuse material.

Research by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), a nonprofit watchdog, estimated that Grok produced around three million sexualised images of women and children within days of its launch.

This probe expands an existing EU investigation into X, which has been ongoing since December 2023 under the DSA. The EU had previously fined X €120 million ($140 million) for violations related to account verification transparency and restricted access to public data for researchers.

The case adds to ongoing tensions between Brussels and Musk’s platform, which has faced multiple regulatory challenges over content moderation and misinformation. The EU has emphasized that it will enforce digital rules despite pressure from Washington.

The investigation highlights growing global concerns over the ethical use of AI and the potential for technology platforms to facilitate illegal or harmful content, particularly involving vulnerable populations.
Tagged:

DigitalServicesAct

AIethics

EUvsX

GrokAI

DeepfakeBan
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