In a troubling development, U.S. Senators have urged Apple and Google to take immediate action against social media app X and its AI-driven companion app Grok. The call to action arises from concerns regarding the proliferation of non-consensual sexualized images being generated and shared within these platforms, prompting a serious discussion on digital ethics and the responsibilities of tech giants.
Lawmakers are requesting that Apple and Google remove the X app and the Grok AI app from their respective stores due to alarming reports of sexualized deepfakes being generated without consent. These images predominantly feature women and, disturbingly, some involve children. In response to this issue, X has recently imposed restrictions on the use of image generation, limiting it to users subscribed to its premium service. However, the Grok app continues to allow users to create problematic content.
Deepfakes Raise Serious Ethical Concerns
According to NBC News, even with restrictions in place, the standalone Grok app—available on iOS and Android—still enables the creation of sexualized deepfakes, depicting individuals in compromising attire. The unchecked capability of Grok to produce images where subjects appear in transparent or semi-transparent clothing raises severe ethical and legal concerns. Both X and Grok fall under the ownership of Elon Musk, with Grok being developed by Musk's AI company xAI.
In light of these concerns, Senators Ron Wyden (Oregon), Ed Markey (Massachusetts), and Ben Ray Luján (New Mexico) have penned an open letter to Apple’s CEO Tim Cook and Google’s CEO Sundar Pichai. In their letter, the Senators condemn the platforms for their blatant disregard of app store policies that prohibit the distribution of non-consensual images. They stress the urgency of enforcing the terms of service to protect women and children from exploitation.
Urgency for Action
The Senators note that Apple and Google's swift action to remove apps in response to Department of Homeland Security requests demonstrates their ability to respond effectively to significant threats. They suggest a similar approach is warranted in this situation given the serious implications for victims of such content.
In their letter, they emphasize: "Your app stores’ policies are clear. Google’s terms of service require apps to prohibit users from creating, uploading, or distributing content that facilitates the exploitation or abuse of children." They urge the tech giants to remove X and Grok until adequate measures are taken to address the violations.
The Senators request a response from Cook and Pichai by January 23, 2026, to gauge Apple and Google’s positions on their obligations regarding the X and Grok apps amidst the serious implications posed by their content-generating capabilities.
