The European Commission has opened an investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform X over concerns that its artificial intelligence tool, Grok, was used to generate sexualised images of real people. The probe follows a similar review announced in January by the UK regulator Ofcom.
If the Commission finds that X has breached rules under the EU Digital Services Act (DSA), the platform could face fines of up to 6 percent of its global annual turnover. The investigation will assess whether “manipulated sexually explicit images” were shown to users within the European Union. Regina Doherty, an Irish member of the European Parliament, said the inquiry aims to ensure platforms are meeting their legal obligations to prevent harmful or illegal content from spreading.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy at the Commission, described the sexual deepfakes generated by Grok as a “violent, unacceptable form of degradation.” She added that the investigation would determine whether X had treated the rights of European citizens, including women and children, as secondary to its services.
X’s Safety account stated that the platform had stopped Grok from digitally altering images to remove clothing in jurisdictions where such content is illegal. The tool has been temporarily banned in countries including Indonesia and Malaysia, although the ban in Malaysia has since been lifted. Campaigners and victims said the ability to create sexually explicit images of real people should “never have happened.”
The Commission indicated it could impose interim measures if X refuses to implement meaningful adjustments. The investigation also extends an ongoing review launched in December 2023 concerning X’s recommender systems—the algorithms that suggest posts to users.
Other investigations into Grok are underway in Australia, France, and Germany. According to X, Grok generated more than 5.5 billion images in a 30-day period. Critics argue the scale of the technology makes the potential harm significant, particularly to vulnerable groups. Andrea Simon, director of the End Violence Against Women Coalition, said accountability “should not stop” with the removal of content, calling for stronger regulatory measures in the UK to prevent tech platforms from profiting from online abuse.
The EU’s move comes a month after it fined X €120 million (£105 million) over misleading blue verification badges, claiming the company failed to verify users meaningfully. In response, US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio and the Federal Communications Commission, criticised the EU’s actions as unfairly targeting American tech firms. Musk reposted Rubio’s statement, adding “absolutely,” highlighting his continued opposition to the regulatory scrutiny.
The investigation underscores growing concerns about AI-generated content and the responsibilities of social media platforms. It also signals the EU’s determination to enforce rules protecting online users and to hold tech companies accountable for the deployment of powerful technologies at scale.
