Women's Groups Demand Google, Apple Remove X and Grok from App Stores

A coalition of nearly 30 advocacy groups focused on women’s rights, child safety, and technology recently urged major tech companies Google and Apple to take action against Elon Musk’s social platform, X, and the AI chatbot Grok. Their concern centers on a rise in AI-generated explicit images that violate community safety standards. In a pair of letters addressed to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, the groups highlighted the misuse of Grok in producing “mass amounts” of nonconsensual intimate images. Elon Musk's Grok, has reportedly created a staggering 6,700 sexually suggestive or “nudified” images every hour in response to requests on X. An analysis by Bloomberg detailed this troubling statistic, showcasing the potential for Grok to act as a facilitator for non-consensual sexual deepfakes, impacting both women and children. The coalition's letters emphasized, “These statistics paint a horrifying picture of an AI chatbot and social media app rapidly turning into a tool and platform for non-consensual sexual deepfakes—deepfakes that regularly depict minors.” The coalition asserts that such content violates digital platform policies set by Apple and Google, which require compliance with local laws and prohibit the promotion of overtly sexual content, especially concerning minors. As a response to rising scrutiny, X has imposed restrictions on Grok’s image generation and editing capabilities, limiting access to paid subscribers. Many argue, however, that this approach merely shifts the monetization of abusive content rather than addressing the root issue. Support for the coalition's stance is echoed in the U.S. Senate, where several Democratic senators called for the removal of Grok and X from app stores. In a letter, Senators Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.), and Ed Markey (D-Mass.) expressed that ignoring the situation would “make a mockery” of moderation efforts and contradict public assurances that their app stores ensure a safer user experience. In light of these developments, the Senate has unanimously passed the Defiance Act, legislation aimed at allowing victims of nonconsensual deepfake pornography to pursue legal recourse against those who create and distribute such content. Senator Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), a co-sponsor of the bill, urged his colleagues in the House to quickly consider the measure, stating, “Give to the victims their day in court to hold those responsible who continue to publish these images at their expense.” Notably, xAI is the company responsible for the Grok chatbot, which is integrated into X, both platforms under Musk's ownership.