Brasília, Brazil – The Brazilian government has ordered Elon Musk’s social network X to immediately stop its AI chatbot Grok from producing sexually explicit images, intensifying global pressure on the billionaire to rein in the controversial tool.
The directive, issued Wednesday by Brazil’s National Data Protection Agency (ANPD) and the National Consumer Rights Bureau (Senacon), demands that X implement safeguards to prevent Grok from generating sexualized or eroticized content involving children, adolescents, or adults without consent.
Authorities gave the platform five days to comply or face legal action and fines.
Global Pressure Mounts
Brazil’s move follows Indonesia’s decision last month to block Grok entirely, while Britain and France vowed to maintain pressure after reports that the chatbot had churned out a flood of lewd deepfake images of women and children.
International scrutiny has focused on Grok’s “Spicy Mode” feature, which allowed users to create sexualized deepfakes with simple text prompts such as “put her in a bikini” or “remove her clothes.”
According to the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), Grok generated an estimated three million sexualized images of women and children in just days.
Brazil’s Concerns
Brazilian authorities said X had previously claimed to delete thousands of posts and suspend hundreds of accounts after warnings last month. However, checks revealed Grok users were still able to generate sexualized deepfakes.
Officials criticized X for “not being transparent in its response” and failing to demonstrate effective safeguards.
X’s Response
On January 15, X announced measures to prevent Grok from undressing images of real people in countries where such actions are illegal. However, it remains unclear where these measures are in effect or how consistently they are enforced.
Conclusion
Brazil’s ultimatum underscores growing international frustration with X’s handling of Grok. As governments tighten scrutiny, the case highlights urgent questions about AI accountability, online safety, and the responsibility of tech platforms to prevent abuse.
