Demands have been raised to remove social media platform X and its AI chatbot Grok app over allegations of creating indecent images of women and children without consent. A group of American senators have written to Apple and Google requesting the temporary removal of these two apps from their app stores.
US Senators Ron Wyden, Ed Markey, and Ben Ray Luján have claimed in this letter that the Grok chatbot is being used extensively to make images of women and children indecent and sexually suggestive without consent. Allegations have also been raised that users are misusing technology to remove clothing from images.
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Potential child safety risks
The senators claim that such activities are extremely concerning and potentially illegal. According to them, this trend is spreading through X and Grok apps. As a result, app store policies are being violated. Therefore, these apps should not be kept on the platform until policies are amended and effective measures are taken.
Recently, facing criticism, Grok had announced that their image editing feature would be restricted only to paid users. However, the company has not yet provided a clear explanation about how effective this rule has been in practice.
In the letter, the senators have further alleged that this behavior has been indirectly encouraged. They claim that company chief Elon Musk had responded to such trends with laughing and crying emojis. Additionally, citing researchers, it has been claimed that nearly 100 images of potential child sexual abuse have been found in a Grok archive, allegedly created since August 2024.
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According to the senators, if Apple and Google do not take any action on this matter, it will call into question the credibility of their own content moderation policies. At the same time, their claims of providing safe digital experiences will also be weakened.
Amid this controversy, Elon Musk announced last week that legal action would be taken against anyone who creates illegal content using Grok. However, according to the senators, this statement alone is not sufficient. Taking practical steps is now most urgent.
