UK Prime Minister Keir Starmersays the country will take action against Platform X, following reports that AI chatbot Grok creates sexual deepfakes of adults and minors.
"It's disgusting," Starmer said during an interview on Greatest Hits Radio. "X needs to take action and remove this material. And we will take action on that, because it's simply unacceptable."
See also: Grok spreads misinformation about Bondi Beach shooting incident
Creating fake images with Grok
Last month, X launched a feature that allowed users to use Grok to edit any image on the platform without permission. The launch led to a slew of AI deepfakes revealing women and, in some cases, children.
"We will not tolerate this," Starmer added. "I have asked for all options to be considered."
The UK's communications regulator, Ofcom, has launched an investigation into whether X is violating the country's Internet Safety Act. This law holds online platforms liable for hosting harmful content.
“Based on their response, we will conduct a rapid assessment to determine whether there are any potential compliance issues that require investigation,” an Ofcom spokesperson told Politico.
See also: Deepfakes: How impersonation attacks are fueling financial fraud
X has stated that “anyone who uses or encourages Grok to create illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they were uploading illegal content.”
It remains to be seen how the United Kingdom will move.
What are the implications of deepfakes on society and politics?
Deepfakes, created using artificial intelligence, have significant implications for society and politics. They are used for misleading content, which can influence public opinion and cause confusion.
They distort the truth and misinform the public. This can lead to a loss of trust in the media and institutions, as well as increased political polarization.
See also: Deepfake 'thinspiration': AI chatbots hide eating disorders
Deepfakes can also be used to violate privacy people'sby creating images or videos that are not real but appear convincing. This can have serious consequences for the mental health of victims and cause significant damage to their reputation.
Finally, deepfakes can be used to influence electionsby creating fake videos of politicians or celebrities saying or doing things they didn't actually say or do. This can influence people's votes and distort the outcome of elections.
