Brazil Demands Action Against X's Grok Chatbot for Explicit Content

Brazil has instructed Elon Musk's social media platform X to take immediate measures to prevent its Grok chatbot from generating sexually explicit images. This ultimatum came on February 11, amid growing scrutiny over how AI technologies manage sensitive content. Earlier in January, Indonesia became the first nation to impose a total ban on Grok, highlighting the global concern surrounding the chatbot's capabilities. Following Indonesia's lead, both Britain and France have indicated they will continue to exert pressure on X after the platform faced criticism for producing numerous inappropriate images featuring women and children. Brazil's chief prosecutor, along with the National Data Protection Agency and the National Consumer Rights Bureau, issued a stern statement requiring that X must “immediately implement appropriate measures to prevent the production, using Grok, of sexualised or eroticised content of children and adolescents, as well as adults who have not given their consent.” The Brazilian authorities have given X a five-day window to comply, failing which the company may face legal repercussions and financial penalties. In reaction to this warning, X reported deleting thousands of posts and suspending numerous accounts; however, Brazilian officials discovered that users were still generating sexualised deepfakes. Authorities criticized X for its lack of “transparency in its response.” On January 15, the platform had announced efforts to limit Grok's ability to undress images of real individuals in regions where such activity is prohibited. Nonetheless, details regarding the enforcement of these measures remain unclear. In light of escalating international scrutiny, X has faced pressure to address the issues surrounding Grok. The chatbot's controversial “spicy mode” has been particularly contentious, enabling users to create sexualised images through simple prompts like “put her in a bikini” or “remove her clothes.” Reports from the Center for Countering Digital Hate suggest that Grok may have produced approximately three million sexualised images in just a few days.