The European Union executive last week ordered Grok, an artificial intelligence chatbot owned by Tesla CEO, Elon Musk, to keep data related to the tool, after it sparked a backlash for generating sexualised deepfakes of minors. The order means that the EU executive can X for access to the documents as it looks into the platform and Grok. The internet was flooded with complaints following the recent rollout of an “edit image” button on Grok, which enabled users to alter online images with prompts such as “put her in a bikini” or “remove her clothes,” features the EU has described as “illegal” and “unacceptable,” the chatbot would face greater scrutiny.
Following the backlash, the European Commission has therefore ordered X to retain all internal documents and data relating to Grok, “and they have to do it until the end of 2026.” EU digital affairs spokesman, Thomas Regnier, said the directive was an extension of a retention order sent to X last year over its “algorithms and recommender systems on the dissemination of illegal content.”
X (formally Twitter), also owned by Musk, has been the target of an investigation since December 2023 under the EU’s mammoth digital content rules. Brussels slapped a 120-millioneuro ($140-million) fine in December on X for violating the transparency obligations of the law known as the Digital Services Act (DSA), triggering angry reactions from the US administration. The breaches slammed against the microblogging network include deceptive design of its “blue checkmark” for supposedly verified accounts, and failure to provide access to public data for researchers.
X is also under investigation for allegedly tackling the spread of illegal content and information manipulation. The EU has insisted it would enforce its rules despite Washington’s opposition. “The DSA is very clear in Europe. All platforms have to get their own house in order because what they’re generating here is unacceptable, and compliance with EU law is not an option. It’s an obligation,” Regnier said.
More than 30 lawmakers belonging to the EU parliament’s liberal Renew group put pressure on the commission’s president, Ursula von der Leyen, in a letter last week urging more aggressive action, including a probe under the DSA. “Make no mistake, it’s not just a famous people issue; it’s not just a women’s issue. All the pictures of you or your kids ever posted on Facebook or Instagram are just one click away to being turned into porn on Grok,” said EU lawmaker, Veronika Cifrova.
