Governments Address Surge of Non-consensual Nudes on X

Over the past two weeks, X has been flooded with AI-generated manipulated nude images produced by the Grok AI chatbot. The scale of impact on women is alarming, affecting prominent models, actresses, public figures, crime victims, and even world leaders.

A research report from Copyleaks on December 31 estimated one image was being posted per minute, but subsequent testing revealed far higher volumes. Sample data collected between January 5 and 6 showed an average of 6,700 images per hour over a 24-hour period.

Despite widespread condemnation from public officials around the globe regarding the release of the model without adequate safeguards, regulators seeking to control Elon Musk’s new image manipulation system face limited enforcement mechanisms. This situation highlights the constraints of current technology regulation and presents a forward-looking challenge for oversight bodies aiming to assert authority.

As expected, the most decisive response came from the European Commission, which ordered xAI on Thursday to preserve all documents related to its Grok chatbot. While this move does not confirm an official investigation has begun, it often precedes formal regulatory action. The directive appears particularly significant given recent CNN reports suggesting Elon Musk may have personally intervened to block safety restrictions on Grok-generated imagery.

It remains unclear whether X has implemented any technical modifications to the Grok model, although the public media tab associated with Grok's X account has been removed. In a statement, the company explicitly condemned the use of AI tools to generate child sexual abuse material. “Anyone using or prompting Grok to create illegal content will face the same consequences as those uploading such material,” stated X’s safety account on January 3, echoing an earlier post by Elon Musk.

In the meantime, regulatory agencies worldwide have issued strong warnings. Ofcom in the UK released a statement on Monday confirming it is engaging with xAI and will “rapidly assess whether potential compliance issues require further investigation.” During a radio interview on Thursday, Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the phenomenon as “shameful” and “disgusting,” adding that “Ofcom has full backing to take action.”

In a LinkedIn post, Australian eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant noted her office has seen a doubling of complaints related to Grok since late 2025. However, she stopped short of announcing direct enforcement against xAI, stating only that “we will use the range of regulatory tools at our disposal to investigate and take appropriate action.”

To date, India represents the largest market where concrete regulatory action has been threatened. Grok became the subject of a formal parliamentary complaint by a member of India’s legislature. In early January, India’s Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) directed X to resolve the issue and submit a compliance report within 72 hours—a deadline later extended by 48 hours. Although a report was submitted on January 7, it is unknown whether MeitY will find the response satisfactory. Failure to meet regulatory expectations could result in X losing its safe harbor protections in India, significantly restricting its ability to operate in the country.