Following a surge in nonconsensual sexualized imagery on the platform X, three Democratic senators have called for the removal of apps X and Grok from the app stores operated by Apple and Google. The request comes after reports revealed that xAI's Grok tool has been generating thousands of sexualized images per hour, predominantly targeting women and sometimes children.
In response to the outcry, X has made adjustments to the Grok reply bot, limiting its image generation capabilities to premium subscribers. However, the Grok app and website continue to produce sexualized deepfakes. Senators Ron Wyden, Ed Markey, and Ben Ray Luján expressed their concerns in an open letter, highlighting that the terms of service for both app stores prohibit such content.
Wyden criticized X's changes, stating that they merely shift the burden to paying users while failing to address the ongoing issues with Grok. He emphasized the need for Apple and Google to take action against the apps until the problematic practices are rectified, warning that inaction would undermine the platforms' moderation efforts.