UK to enforce law that criminalizes making sexual deepfakes
What's the story
The UK government is set to enforce a law that criminalizes the creation of non-consensual intimate images, including sexual deepfakes. The move comes as a response to the recent misuse of the Grok AI chatbot on X, which has been used to generate sexualized images without consent. Liz Kendall, the UK's Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, announced this development in Parliament.
Legal response
Grok AI's misuse leads to legal action
Kendall condemned the misuse of Grok AI on X, calling the generated content "vile" and a violation of societal decency. She said, "It is illegal." The UK government had previously passed the Data Act last year, making it a crime to create or request non-consensual intimate images. Kendall confirmed that this law will be enforced this week and prioritized under the Online Safety Act.
Feature restrictions
Grok's deepfake features limited to paying subscribers
Kendall criticized xAI for restricting some deepfake features of Grok to paying subscribers, calling it a way of "monetizing abuse." She emphasized that the law against non-consensual intimate images applies to both individual users and companies that create tools like Grok. Ofcom, the UK's communications regulator, has also launched an investigation into X over the misuse of Grok for creating deepfakes.
Possible penalties
X faces potential fines for violating Online Safety Act
If Ofcom finds X in breach of the Online Safety Act, it could be ordered to take certain actions to comply and face fines of "up to £18 million or 10% of qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is greater." Kendall stressed that the public and victims of Grok's activities expect swift action from Ofcom. She said, "The government expects Ofcom to set out a timeline for the investigation as soon as possible."
Company response
X's stance on illegal content creation
In response to the controversy, X has said that it takes action against illegal content on its platform. The company said it removes such content, permanently suspends accounts involved in its creation or promotion, and cooperates with local governments and law enforcement agencies as needed.