NEW DELHI, India — The European Commission on Monday opened a new formal investigation into Elon Musk’s X under the Digital Services Act over its AI chatbot Grok and the generation of sexualized deepfake images involving women and minors.
At the same time, the Commission expanded a separate investigation launched in December 2023 into whether X is complying with its risk management obligations related to recommender systems under the Digital Services Act.
According to the Commission, the new probe will examine whether X adequately assessed and mitigated risks linked to the deployment of Grok’s features within the European Union. The investigation will focus on potential dissemination of illegal content, including manipulated sexually explicit images that may constitute child sexual abuse material.
“In Europe, we will not tolerate unthinkable behaviour, such as digital undressing of women and children,” said European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Henna Virkkunen, Executive Vice-President for Tech Sovereignty, Security and Democracy, said sexual deepfakes targeting women and children represent a serious and unacceptable form of degradation.
“With this investigation, we will determine whether X has met its legal obligations under the DSA, or whether it treated rights of European citizens – including those of women and children – as collateral damage of its service,” Virkkunen said.
The Commission said it will further assess whether X has complied with its obligations to identify and reduce systemic risks, including the spread of illegal content, negative impacts related to gender-based violence, and serious harm to physical and mental well-being stemming from Grok’s integration into the platform.
As part of the proceedings, X will be required to conduct and submit an ad hoc risk assessment report examining Grok’s functionalities that significantly affect the platform’s overall risk profile prior to their deployment.
Separately, regulators said they have extended the ongoing formal proceedings initiated in December 2023 to determine whether X properly evaluated and mitigated systemic risks associated with its recommender systems. This includes scrutiny of the company’s recently announced shift to a Grok-based recommender system.
“If proven, these failures would constitute infringements of Articles 34(1) and (2), 35(1) and 42(2) of the DSA. The Commission will now carry out an in-depth investigation as a matter of priority. The opening of formal proceedings does not prejudge its outcome,” the Commission said. (Source: IANS)
