Police have received a call to look into Elon Musk and X following a surge of sexualized deepfakes circulating on the social media platform. Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, voiced his belief that a criminal inquiry should be initiated into the matter. He emphasized the seriousness of the issue at a press briefing, stating that his party is taking it more seriously than others.
The UK’s Online Safety Act empowers Ofcom to penalize, disrupt, or shut down social media platforms that do not adhere to strict guidelines, especially those related to safeguarding children online. Ofcom is currently conducting an investigation in this regard.
In the midst of these events, Sir Ed hinted at the possibility of considering leaving X, in response to queries about why he and his party had not done so despite criticizing Mr. Musk vehemently. He acknowledged the deliberation process, emphasizing the need for a strong Liberal presence on the platform.
Sir Ed stressed that his party’s stance is robust and advocated for suspending X while Ofcom investigates the site. He emphasized the necessity of taking action given the serious allegations and ongoing investigation.
Ofcom recently launched a formal investigation into X, previously known as Twitter, under the Online Safety Act. The probe aims to determine if X violated its legal obligations. Potential penalties include fines up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue, along with other disruptive measures.
Furthermore, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall condemned the images generated by X’s AI chatbot Grok as “weapons of abuse” during a parliamentary statement. She announced upcoming legislation that would criminalize the creation and distribution of non-consensual intimate images.
Ms. Kendall highlighted the severe impact of such content, emphasizing that it targets women and girls disproportionately and violates their dignity. She stressed the need to address this issue by targeting the root cause, including criminalizing apps that facilitate the creation of fake nude images.
The Government will review its engagement with X as some MPs have called for Labour to cease using the platform. Ofcom recently raised concerns about sexualized images involving children created by Grok, prompting an urgent investigation into the matter.
Authorities are adamant about ensuring platforms comply with UK laws to protect individuals, especially children, from harmful content. The Internet Watch Foundation reported the discovery of illegal imagery involving children created using Grok, prompting swift actions to address the situation.
In response to these developments, Musk affirmed that illegal content creation using Grok would have consequences. X announced plans to monetize deepfake creation as a premium service, drawing criticism for trivializing and profiting from abusive content.
These actions have sparked debates and calls for stricter regulations to combat the proliferation of harmful content online, particularly concerning the exploitation of children and the dissemination of non-consensual imagery.