The European Commission launched an investigation on January 26 to see if Grok spreads illegal sexualised images in the EU. The probe will check whether X assessed and mitigated risks under EU digital rules.
The Commission had extended a retention order for X to keep all internal documents and data on Grok until the end of 2026.
In the UK, Ofcom is investigating whether Grok violated the Online Safety Act by producing sexually intimate deepfakes.
France referred Grok-generated explicit content to prosecutors and asked media regulator Arcom to review compliance.
Germany’s media minister called the problem a potential “industrialisation of sexual harassment.” Italy warned that creating “undressed” AI images without consent could break privacy laws and even criminal codes.
Sweden condemned Grok after imagery depicting its deputy prime minister surfaced.
Asia Implements Restrictions
India’s IT ministry sent X a formal notice on January 2, demanding the removal of obscene AI-generated images and a report within 72 hours.
Japan is exploring all options to prevent Grok from creating inappropriate content. Indonesia blocked access entirely to protect women and children.
Malaysia later restored access after X added safety measures, while the Philippines will reinstate it once image-manipulation tools are restricted to protect children.
Americas Demand Accountability
California’s governor and attorney general demanded answers from xAI after non-consensual sexual images appeared online.
Canada widened its privacy investigation into Grok’s explicit content generation. Brazil gave xAI 30 days to stop spreading sexualised fake images.
Oceania Investigates
Australia’s eSafety regulator is reviewing Grok-generated sexualised deepfakes. While adult content is assessed under its image-based abuse scheme, child-related cases did not meet the legal threshold for sexual abuse material.
xAI Responds
xAI restricted Grok’s image editing features and blocked users in jurisdictions where creating revealing images is illegal. Access was previously limited to paying subscribers.
