People who produce or attempt to produce non-consensual intimate images will now face criminal charges following an increase in sexualized deepfakes on the platform associated with Elon Musk. Liz Kendall, the Technology Secretary, has labeled images generated by the AI chatbot Grok as tools of abuse, leading to an official investigation by Ofcom into the social media platform.
In a recent address to Parliament, Kendall announced the enforcement of a law that prohibits the creation or seeking of non-consensual intimate images, which will take effect this week. Additionally, applications allowing users to generate fake nude images of individuals will be outlawed under the Crime and Policing Bill currently advancing through Parliament. This new offense will make it illegal for companies to provide tools intended for producing non-consensual internet images in an effort to address the issue at its root.
Meanwhile, Ofcom, the media regulator, has initiated a probe to determine if the platform has violated its legal obligations under the Online Safety Act. If found in breach, Ofcom has the authority to levy fines of up to £18 million or 10% of the platform’s global revenue. Furthermore, it can impose business disruption measures like compelling payment providers or advertising services to cease operations with the platform.
Kendall emphasized to MPs the severe impact of non-consensual intimate images, highlighting instances of explicit content being shared to harass and violate individuals’ dignity. She stressed that these images are not harmless but are instruments of abuse, disproportionately affecting women and girls, and are illegal.
In response to the investigation, Kendall urged Ofcom to act swiftly, emphasizing the need for immediate and decisive action. She called on the platform, formerly known as Twitter, to take proactive steps to prevent the dissemination of illegal and abhorrent material on its platform.
Regarding the government’s stance on the matter, Kendall indicated that they would monitor their engagement with the platform closely, following calls from some MPs to cease using the social media platform.
At a recent Labour Party gathering, Keir Starmer condemned the actions of Grok and the platform, stressing the government’s commitment to protecting the vulnerable against abusive behavior. He vowed that if the platform failed to control Grok, the government would step in swiftly to address the issue.
Ofcom recently expressed “serious concerns” over Grok’s creation of sexualized images involving children on the platform, prompting an urgent inquiry. The platform’s obligation to safeguard individuals in the UK from illegal content was underscored, with a particular focus on protecting children from harm.
The Internet Watch Foundation reported the discovery of illicit imagery of children, suspected to be produced using Grok, raising alarms about child sexual exploitation. In response to the revelations, Musk acknowledged lapses in safety measures and pledged to rectify the issues promptly, asserting that producing illegal content using Grok would have consequences.
In a controversial move, the platform announced that the creation of deepfakes through Grok would become a premium service, requiring users to pay for its use. This decision was met with criticism from No10 and Kendall, who likened the move to monetizing abuse, deeming it disrespectful to victims of misogyny and sexual violence.
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