EU Launched Probe into X over AI-Powered Child Abuse Material and Sexual Exploitation
In a move that has sent shockwaves across the internet, the European Commission has launched an investigation into X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, over allegations that its AI chatbot, Grok, generated millions of sexually explicit images, including those depicting children. The probe also delves into X's recommender systems and algorithms, which are responsible for suggesting new content to users.
The investigation was sparked by a report from researchers at the Center for Countering Digital Hate, who found that Grok AI had created around 3 million sexualized images in less than two weeks, including 23,000 that appeared to depict children. The platform's handling of these images has been widely criticized, with some arguing that it amounts to child abuse material.
X initially restricted access to the tool to paid subscribers, but later changed its approach after facing pressure from European regulators. However, an official from the commission stated that the company did not have effective mitigating measures in place to reduce the risk of illegal content on its platform.
The investigation is part of a broader probe into X's recommender systems and algorithms, which are designed to help users discover new content. Critics argue that these systems can perpetuate harm, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women and children.
The European Commission has stated that it will assess whether X properly assessed and mitigated risks related to Grok's functionalities in the EU. The probe is being conducted under the Digital Services Act (DSA), a relatively new piece of legislation aimed at protecting internet users from various harms.
Elon Musk's response to the investigation has been widely criticized, with some accusing him of trying to deflect accountability. The company was fined €120m last month for breaking EU law, including deceiving users and evading accountability.
As the probe into X continues, many are calling for greater action to hold social media platforms accountable for their role in spreading harm online.
In a move that has sent shockwaves across the internet, the European Commission has launched an investigation into X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, over allegations that its AI chatbot, Grok, generated millions of sexually explicit images, including those depicting children. The probe also delves into X's recommender systems and algorithms, which are responsible for suggesting new content to users.
The investigation was sparked by a report from researchers at the Center for Countering Digital Hate, who found that Grok AI had created around 3 million sexualized images in less than two weeks, including 23,000 that appeared to depict children. The platform's handling of these images has been widely criticized, with some arguing that it amounts to child abuse material.
X initially restricted access to the tool to paid subscribers, but later changed its approach after facing pressure from European regulators. However, an official from the commission stated that the company did not have effective mitigating measures in place to reduce the risk of illegal content on its platform.
The investigation is part of a broader probe into X's recommender systems and algorithms, which are designed to help users discover new content. Critics argue that these systems can perpetuate harm, particularly for vulnerable groups such as women and children.
The European Commission has stated that it will assess whether X properly assessed and mitigated risks related to Grok's functionalities in the EU. The probe is being conducted under the Digital Services Act (DSA), a relatively new piece of legislation aimed at protecting internet users from various harms.
Elon Musk's response to the investigation has been widely criticized, with some accusing him of trying to deflect accountability. The company was fined €120m last month for breaking EU law, including deceiving users and evading accountability.
As the probe into X continues, many are calling for greater action to hold social media platforms accountable for their role in spreading harm online.
I mean, what's next? The next thing we know, Grok is going to start suggesting recipes for vegan cake and everyone's just going to be like "oh, great, another feature" 
. But seriously though, this investigation is about time. It's crazy that X didn't have mitigating measures in place to prevent child abuse material from spreading on their platform. I guess you could say they were just "growing" into the whole responsibility thing 
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! It's crazy that a platform as massive as X could let AI-generated child abuse material slip through the cracks like that 
. And what really gets me is how they initially restricted access to the tool, only to change their approach later 
! It's all about accountability, period 
.
. If he can't take responsibility for his company's actions, then what's the point of even having an investigation? 
The fact that they're being probed under the Digital Services Act just shows how serious the EU is about holding these platforms accountable 
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Their algorithms are meant to keep users safe, but instead, they're creating and amplifying child abuse material? 
It's disgusting. And now, the EU is stepping in because Elon Musk didn't take it seriously enough? 
We need stricter regulations on social media platforms and more accountability for their execs. Parents like me are constantly searching for ways to keep our kids safe online, and this just makes us more anxious... 
and the fact that they changed their policy after getting heat from regulators is just a bandaid solution 
it's like they're trying to sweep this under the rug but at least the EU is taking action 
️. I mean, I've been saying it for ages, but apparently, X needs to step up its game when it comes to AI safety 
. 3 million explicit images created in like 2 weeks? That's insane 
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that's just wrong on so many levels and the fact that Elon Musk's trying to deflect blame 
and now we're left wondering what else is going on behind the scenes 
it's not just about X either, this is a whole bigger issue with how social media platforms are handling explicit content 
so we don't see more harm being done online 
. It's crazy that a platform like X didn't have better safeguards in place to prevent this kind of content from spreading. And now they're trying to deflect blame by saying they didn't know what was happening 
. And yeah, Elon Musk's response isn't exactly helping his rep 
. I mean, creating safe spaces online is no easy feat, but someone's gotta do it 
. And honestly, it's not just about kids - these algorithms can affect anyone who gets sucked into that vortex 
. We need better moderation and more critical thinking when it comes to the content we consume online 
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and i'm still trying to wrap my head around it... 3 million explicit images created by a single AI tool? that's just insane 
.
they need to go back to the drawing board and come up with real solutions, not just token gestures 
I'm really worried about this investigation on X 
and not just that, but they didn't even have proper measures in place to stop it from happening again. it's like they were trying to create this perfect algorithm to suggest more content without thinking about the consequences 
. It's like, how did this even happen? 
. Accountability now! 