The European Commission has launched a formal inquiry into X, formerly Twitter, concerning its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, and potential violations of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The inquiry focuses on whether X adequately assessed and mitigated risks associated with Grok, particularly its capacity to generate and disseminate illegal content, including sexually explicit material and manipulated images. This action follows a referral from Poland, where officials have expressed serious concerns over the platform’s content moderation practices and the potential for harm to users.
The European Commission has launched an investigation into X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, over concerns it failed to adequately assess the risks associated with its new artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok. The probe centers on whether X took sufficient steps to mitigate potential harms to users, a violation of the European Union’s Digital Services Act (DSA).
According to the Commission, Grok’s capabilities allow for the generation and dissemination of illegal content within the EU, including sexually explicit, manipulated images – some depicting minors. This raises significant legal and ethical questions for the platform, which has faced increasing scrutiny over content moderation policies.
Thomas Regnier, the EU Commission’s spokesperson for digital affairs, indicated that X did not include the Grok feature in any of its risk assessment reports submitted to regulators. The investigation will determine whether the company considered the potential for users to encounter violent and exploitative content through Grok, and the subsequent impact on user well-being.
Polish Minister Highlights Severity of the Issue
Krzysztof Gawkowski, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Affairs, addressed the matter on social media, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
“Millions of sexualized images of women and men, generated by Grok on X, are not a ‘glitch in the algorithm,’ they are a real threat,” Gawkowski wrote on X. He added that the formal investigation by the European Commission follows a referral from Poland. “Platforms have obligations. The DSA applies at the European level to everyone – including the giants of Silicon Valley,” he stated.
The Minister underscored that user safety is non-negotiable and that consistent enforcement of the law is crucial. “Today, in terms of enforcing the DSA, we must rely on the activity of the European Commission, but I hope that the new laws we are already working on in the government will give Poland real tools and opportunities to act to protect internet users,” Gawkowski added.
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