European Union regulators have opened a formal inquiry into content produced by Grok, a digital assistant linked to Elon Musk’s platform X, following the spread of explicit images, including material involving women and children, according to an Irish member of the European Parliament.
Regina Doherty said on Monday that the European Commission is examining whether X has met its obligations under EU digital rules, particularly those covering risk assessment, content oversight, and the protection of basic rights online.
The inquiry focuses on whether the platform adequately addressed the risks posed by new image generation tools and whether safeguards were in place to prevent illegal or harmful material from circulating.
“This case raises very serious questions about whether platforms are meeting their legal obligations to assess risks properly and to prevent illegal and harmful content from spreading,” Doherty said in an emailed statement.
A spokesperson for the European Commission did not immediately confirm whether the investigation had formally begun. X also did not respond to a request for comment.
The move risks heightening tensions with Washington, where the administration of President Donald Trump has sharply criticized European enforcement actions against major technology firms. Past EU cases have drawn threats of retaliatory trade measures from the United States.
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Earlier this month, the Commission said images of undressed women and children circulating on X were unlawful and appalling, echoing criticism from governments and advocacy groups worldwide.
xAI, the company owned by Musk that develops Grok, said in mid January that it had made changes to limit how images could be generated. The company said it had stopped the system from editing photos of real people into revealing clothing, such as swimwear.
It also said access to certain image features had been restricted by location in places where such content is illegal, though it did not specify which countries were affected.
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Doherty said the episode exposed broader gaps in how fast moving digital tools are monitored and enforced.
“The European Union has clear rules to protect people online,” she said. “Those rules must mean something in practice, especially when powerful technologies are deployed at scale. No company operating in the EU is above the law.”
Regulators in Britain are also taking action. The UK media authority Ofcom launched a separate investigation earlier this month into whether X has complied with its duties under the Online Safety Act.