Overview
- The European Commission on January 26 launched a formal Digital Services Act investigation into X and widened an earlier case opened in December 2023.
- Officials will assess whether X properly evaluated and mitigated systemic risks and prevented illegal content linked to Grok’s image tools, after ordering preservation of Grok‑related records in early January.
- Commission President Ursula von der Leyen condemned the creation of fake nude images and warned that Europe will not tolerate platforms that violate consent and child protection.
- Independent groups reported extensive output of sexualized images, including estimates of roughly three million such images in eleven days and samples showing most subjects were women and some appeared to be minors.
- X limited or blocked certain Grok image edits in mid‑January and introduced geographic restrictions, yet reports say related functionality remains accessible, while national actions ranged from a UK investigation to temporary bans in countries such as Indonesia and a subsequent lifting in Malaysia.