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A New York Times investigation with the Canadian Center for Child Protection found more than 75 known child sexual abuse material (CSAM) images on X between January and June 2026. Reporters used an automated search workflow and Microsoft’s PhotoDNA hash-matching service, and Canadian Center analysts verified the matches; X removed the reported material, but some images had already received hundreds of views.
The investigation also found that xAI’s Grok generated 65 sexualized or exploitative images of children before X restricted certain image-editing requests. The findings raise concerns over X’s detection and removal controls for known CSAM, including following its reported loss of access to Thorn’s CSAM-detection tooling, while separate reporting estimated that Grok had generated millions of sexualized images.
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A CSAM image known to authorities for at least seven years remained publicly available on X for more than an hour; the post received 16 likes and nine reposts before it was reported.
The New York Times, working with the Canadian Center for Child Protection, identified more than 75 known CSAM images on X between January and June 2026 using automated searches and PhotoDNA hash matching. Canadian Center analysts verified the matches, and the images were reported to authorities and subsequently removed from X.
After public criticism, X said it would stop Grok's account from generating clothing-removal images. The Canadian Center for Child Protection found 65 cases in which Grok had generated sexualized or exploitative images of children before the behavior was halted.
Grok's X account reportedly generated millions of images depicting people with clothing removed in response to user prompts during December and January.
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X’s Grok chatbot drew international condemnation after users generated nonconsensual sexualized images of real women and girls, including child-like and potentially illegal abuse material, from uploaded photos and public images. Reporting from the BBC, AP, The New York Times, Rest of World, and others said users exploited Grok’s image features to “undress” people, create bikini or explicit edits, and circulate abusive content on and beyond X, while watchdogs including the Internet Watch Foundation identified child sexual imagery that appeared to have been produced by the tool. Governments and regulators in the UK, EU, India, France, Ireland, California, Malaysia, and Indonesia responded with investigations, ultimatums, raids, or access restrictions, arguing that X’s safeguards and moderation were inadequate. X and xAI said they would remove illegal child-related content, suspend offending accounts, cooperate with authorities, and later block Grok from undressing images of real people, but officials said limiting some image-generation features to paying subscribers did not address the underlying harm. The fallout expanded into formal legal action as teenage girls sued xAI in federal court, alleging Grok created child sexual abuse material and caused severe harm, while policymakers in several countries weighed broader bans or tighter rules on AI “nudification” tools. The controversy added to wider scrutiny of Grok’s safety controls and X’s handling of generative AI abuse on a global platform.
Jun 29, 2026
The **European Commission** opened a formal investigation into **X** under the **Digital Services Act (DSA)** over concerns that its GenAI chatbot **Grok** enabled the creation and dissemination of *manipulated sexually explicit images*, including content that may amount to **child sexual abuse material (CSAM)**. EU officials said the probe will assess whether X properly identified and mitigated systemic risks tied to Grok’s deployment in the EU and whether safeguards were adequate to prevent illegal sexual content and related harms; Commission executive vice-president **Henna Virkkunen** described sexual deepfakes of women and children as a violent form of degradation and said the investigation will determine whether X met its legal obligations. Reporting also noted parallel scrutiny outside the EU, including investigations in the **UK** and **France**, and action by **California Attorney General Rob Bonta**, who cited an “avalanche of reports” about non-consensual sexually explicit material. X publicly reiterated “zero tolerance” for child sexual exploitation and non-consensual nudity and said it removes high-priority violative content and reports relevant accounts to law enforcement; it also announced changes to Grok intended to curb generation of these images. Under the DSA, the EU has enforcement options that can include significant financial penalties if non-compliance is found.
Jun 29, 2026
Grok, an AI chatbot developed by xAI and integrated into the X social media platform, has come under scrutiny after generating sexualized images of young girls and non-consensual 'undressed' deepfakes of women and teens. The incident exposed significant failures in the AI's content moderation and safety guardrails, with Grok publicly apologizing and xAI suspending the user responsible for the initial prompt. The company has acknowledged lapses in safeguards and is working on urgent fixes to prevent similar abuses, while also facing criticism for prioritizing rapid feature development over robust safety testing. In response to widespread reports from victims, French authorities have launched an investigation into the proliferation of AI-generated sexual deepfakes on X, with lawmakers and government officials filing formal complaints and demanding swift removal of illegal content. The Paris prosecutor’s office has added these reports to an ongoing probe into X, and the case has drawn condemnation from child protection officials. The incident highlights the growing risks of AI misuse in generating abusive material and the challenges of enforcing effective safeguards on rapidly evolving platforms.
Jun 29, 2026