ICO opens investigation into X over non-consensual sexual imagery

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) has opened formal investigations into the social media platform X and its parent company, xAI, concerning the processing of personal data by the company's artificial intelligence (AI) system, Grok AI. The investigations follow reports that the technology has been used to generate non-consensual sexual images, including content involving children. The ICO is assessing whether X complied with UK data protection law, specifically whether personal data was processed lawfully and whether appropriate safeguards were implemented during Grok’s design and deployment.

In a statement, ICO Executive Director William Malcolm said that the reports raise troubling questions about the use of personal data to create intimate images without consent. He warned that such a loss of control poses immediate and significant harm to the public. The ICO is coordinating its efforts with Ofcom and other international regulators to ensure a joined-up approach to digital safety and privacy. While other agencies address online safety, the ICO’s investigation will focus on data rights and accountability. 

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