BBS:      TELESC.NET.BR
Assunto:  EU Grok backlash intensifies
De:       Mike Powell
Data:     Tue, 17 Feb 2026 11:27:06 -0500
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The Grok backlash intensifies - new EU probe investigates whether millions of
`potentially harmful' deepfake images broke data privacy laws

By David Nield published 4 hours ago

Even more scrutiny

    The EU's privacy watchdog has opened a new 'large-scale' X inquiry
    It's probing whether 'potentially harmful' Grok images broke privacy laws
    This follows separate investigations from the EU and UK over X deepfakes

Elon Musk's X platform (previously known as Twitter) and its Grok AI bot are
facing fresh scrutiny over non-consensual and sexualized deepfake content, with
Ireland's Data Protection Commission (DPC) announcing an inquiry.

As per MarketWatch, the watchdog is investigating whether X has complied with
the strict General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) rules in the EU, which the
Irish regulator is in charge of enforcing on behalf of the 27-nation bloc.

In recent weeks, there has been a storm of criticism leveled at X in response
to Grok being used to create and post millions of sexualized and revealing
images - often based on real photos (some of whom appear to be minors), and
used without consent.

The DPC says it "has been engaging" with X about the "potential harmful" images
since they began circulating at a large scale, although X has made no official
comment. The social media platform has previously insisted that necessary
safeguards have been put in place, but regulators aren't convinced.

Investigations and raids

This new inquiry adds to a separate EU investigation that's looking at the same
problems, but under laws that require platforms to stop the spread of illegal
material - which in this case may include child sexual abuse material. The
UK, no longer part of the EU, has also launched its own inquiry.

There were also raids earlier this month on X offices in Paris by French and EU
law enforcement agencies, as part of ongoing investigations that also cover the
AI-generated imagery. As the Financial Times reports, X denied any wrongdoing
at the time.

At the moment it's not clear how long the new inquiry will take, or what the
result of it might be, but substantial fines are certainly on the table - if
X is found to have been lacking in terms of the data privacy protections it put
in place around these images.

Grok is powered by xAI, another Elon Musk company, which announced a merger
with SpaceX just a few days ago. The AI bot and its capabilities are available
to all users, with higher usage limits for those signed up to premium plans.


https://www.techradar.com/ai-platforms-assistants/the-grok-backlash-intensifies
-new-eu-probe-investigates-whether-millions-of-potentially-harmful-deepfake-ima
ges-broke-data-privacy-laws

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