'It's a scam': French AI envoy on X making Grok chatbot pay-to-perve
Issued on: 11/01/2026
06:14 min
Issued on: 11/01/2026
06:14 min
France's AI and Digital Ambassador Clara Chappaz says making public image generation a paid feature of Grok is a "scam", adding to the outcry over how tech mogul Elon Musk has dealt with a torrent of deepfake sexual abuse on his social media platform X.
After Malaysia and Indonesia suspended access to Grok this weekend, French foreign ministry official Chappaz declined to say whether France would follow suit, but indicated that it was working on an international response, and said she hoped the courts would mete out swift justice for what she called a "totally illegal" use of AI.
"Everyone in France who's been a victim of this should definitely take it to the courts," Chappaz said, underlining that in France, generating non-consensual sexual deepfakes is punishable by up to three years' prison and €75,000 in fines.
WATCH MOREGlobal anger over Grok undressing women online
The Telegraph, a British newspaper, reported this weekend that Australia, the UK and Canada are considering joint action – though Canada’s AI Minister Evan Solomon has since said in a post on X that the country won’t be banning the platform.
Since the start of the year, X users have flooded the platform with sexually abusive, violent and extremist content generated by the artificial intelligence chatbot Grok, with users notably asking it to alter pictures of women in order to strip them of their clothes.
After widespread criticism from governments and civil society, X put the image generation function behind a paywall for those using it within public-facing replies and posts on X. But the tool remains available for free in a private Grok area of the website.
Since this change, researchers have indicated that the number of illicit posts has declined from its peak of tens of thousands a day in the first week of January.
Chappaz called the tweak "completely hypocritical".
"I see it as a scam because what it means is people pay to get access to the functionality, and guess who benefits from it? X, who's getting more income as a result," she said.
After Malaysia and Indonesia suspended access to Grok this weekend, French foreign ministry official Chappaz declined to say whether France would follow suit, but indicated that it was working on an international response, and said she hoped the courts would mete out swift justice for what she called a "totally illegal" use of AI.
"Everyone in France who's been a victim of this should definitely take it to the courts," Chappaz said, underlining that in France, generating non-consensual sexual deepfakes is punishable by up to three years' prison and €75,000 in fines.
WATCH MOREGlobal anger over Grok undressing women online
The Telegraph, a British newspaper, reported this weekend that Australia, the UK and Canada are considering joint action – though Canada’s AI Minister Evan Solomon has since said in a post on X that the country won’t be banning the platform.
Since the start of the year, X users have flooded the platform with sexually abusive, violent and extremist content generated by the artificial intelligence chatbot Grok, with users notably asking it to alter pictures of women in order to strip them of their clothes.
After widespread criticism from governments and civil society, X put the image generation function behind a paywall for those using it within public-facing replies and posts on X. But the tool remains available for free in a private Grok area of the website.
Since this change, researchers have indicated that the number of illicit posts has declined from its peak of tens of thousands a day in the first week of January.
Chappaz called the tweak "completely hypocritical".
"I see it as a scam because what it means is people pay to get access to the functionality, and guess who benefits from it? X, who's getting more income as a result," she said.
BY: Peter O'BRIEN
Copyright Leon Neal/Pool Photo via AP, File
By Anna Desmarais with AP
Published on 13/01/2026 - EURONEWS
Global crackdown: These nations are restricting or speaking out against Grok over non-consensual sexually explicit deepfakes
Governments worldwide are moving swiftly to rein in Grok, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, amid growing concerns it generates fake, sexually explicit images.
Last summer, xAI, Grok’s operating company, added an image-generator feature that included a “spicy mode” that could generate adult content.
In recent weeks, Grok has responded to user prompts to “undress” images of women and dress them in bikinis, creating AI-generated deepfakes with no safeguards.
From outright blocks in Southeast Asia to criminal probes and regulatory warnings in Europe and Australia, authorities say existing safeguards are failing.
These are the countries that have banned or heeded warnings about Grok.
Which countries have banned Grok?
Governments worldwide are moving swiftly to rein in Grok, Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot, amid growing concerns it generates fake, sexually explicit images.
Last summer, xAI, Grok’s operating company, added an image-generator feature that included a “spicy mode” that could generate adult content.
In recent weeks, Grok has responded to user prompts to “undress” images of women and dress them in bikinis, creating AI-generated deepfakes with no safeguards.
From outright blocks in Southeast Asia to criminal probes and regulatory warnings in Europe and Australia, authorities say existing safeguards are failing.
These are the countries that have banned or heeded warnings about Grok.
Which countries have banned Grok?
Indonesia
Indonesia was the first country to temporarily block Grok to protect women, children, and the broader community from fake pornographic content generated using AI.
"The government sees non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a serious violation of human rights, dignity and the safety of citizens in the digital space,” Indonesia’s communication and digital affairs minister Meutya Hafid said in a statement on Saturday.
Restrictions on Grok are a “preventative” measure while the authorities assess whether the platform is safe, Indonesia’s National Police said.
Initial findings showed that Grok does not have efficient safeguards to stop the creation and distribution of pornographic content based on real photos of Indonesian residents, according to a statement from Alexander Sabar, Indonesia’s director general of digital space supervision.
Sabar said such practices risk violating privacy and image rights when photos are manipulated or shared without consent, causing psychological, social, and reputational harm.
Malaysia
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) ordered a temporary ban on Grok on Sunday after what it said was “repeated misuse” of the tool to generate obscene, sexually explicit, and non-consensual manipulated images.
The regulator said it sent two notices this month to X and xAI demanding stronger safeguards. In its replies, X said that Grok relies mostly on users to submit complaints about abusive content.
The MCMC concluded that X “failed to address the inherent risks” in the design and operation of its AI platform, which it said is insufficient under Malay law.
“The restriction is imposed as a preventive and proportionate measure while legal and regulatory processes are ongoing,” it said, adding that access will remain blocked until effective safeguards are put in place.
How have other countries responded?
European Union
The European Commission announced it is looking into cases of sexually suggestive and explicit images of young girls generated by Grok.
“I can confirm from this podium that the Commission is also very seriously looking into this matter,” a Commission spokesperson told journalists in Brussels last week.
Reuters reported that the Commission ordered X to retain all documents relating to Grok until the end of the year so the bloc can evaluate whether it complies with EU rules.
A Commission spokesperson told Reuters that it doesn't mean that a formal investigation has been launched.
Ursula Von der Leyen, president of the European Commission, said in an interview with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera that she was "outraged that a technology platform allows users to digitally strip women and children online".
Without directly naming X or Grok, von der Leyen said the Commission "will not outsource child protection and consent to Silicon Valley. If they don't act, we will," she said.
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom’s media watchdog launched an investigation into X, xAI’s parent company, and Musk’s social media platform, over the use of Grok to generate sexually explicit and non-consensual images.
Ofcom said in a statement that there had been "deeply concerning reports" of the chatbot being used to create and share undressed images of people, as well as "sexualised images of children".
The media watchdog could also seek a court order to force internet service providers to block access to Grok if X doesn’t comply with Ofcom’s requirements.
X could face a fine of up to 10 percent of its worldwide revenue or £18 million (€20 million).
_“_The content which has circulated on X is vile. It’s not just an affront to decent society, it is illegal,” Liz Kendall, the technology secretary, told parliament.
France
The Paris Prosecutor’s Office expanded an investigation into X in early January to include Grok, local media reported.
The initial probe, ongoing since last July, focused on suspected organised interference with X’s computer systems and the illegal extraction of data.
The decision to widen the investigation was made this week after five politicians accused the platform of generating and disseminating fake sexually explicit videos featuring minors, according to French newspaper Le Parisien.
It reported that France’s Regulatory Authority for Audiovisual and Digital Communication (Arcom) is investigating X’s potential breaches of the Digital Services Act, the European regulation rules for digital services.
Italy
On January 8, Italy’s Data Protection Authority (Garante) warned that anyone using Grok or other AI platforms to remove people’s clothing and those distributing these images risk criminal charges.
Using the tools without the permission of the person in the photo could be considered “[a] serious violation of the fundamental rights and freedoms of the individuals involved,” the body said.
The authority also reminded Grok and other AI providers that they must design, develop, and make products available that comply with privacy regulations.
The Italian regulator said it is working with Ireland’s Data Protection Commission, the lead privacy authority for X, because the company’s headquarters are based in Ireland.
In October, Italy’s authority blocked ClothOff, another AI-generated platform that removes clothing. The platform lets anyone, including minors, create photos and videos that portray real people in the nude or in sexual positions.
In September, Italy added a new articleunder its criminal code to punish those disseminating AI deepfakes with up to five years in prison.
Germany
Germany said that it will soon present a “concrete proposal” for a new law against digital violence.
Anna-Lena Beckfeld, a spokesperson for Germany’s justice ministry, said in a press conference in January that the eventual digital violence law will be a way to support victims of this “type of digital violence,” by making it “easier for them to take direct action against violations of their rights online”.
When asked specifically about Grok, Beckfeld said it is “unacceptable that manipulation is being used on a large scale for systemic violations of personal rights”.
"We, therefore, want to see stronger measures taken against this through criminal law,” she added.
In 2025, Germany’s three main parties agreed to reform cybercrime law and close “loopholes” in the criminal code for AI-related crimes, such as AI-generated sexual images, according to a coalition agreement.
Australia
In January, the office of Australia’s eSafety Commissioner said it had received a small but increasing number of reports in the past couple of weeks about Grok’s sexual AI content.
The commissioner’s office said it will use its powers, such as a removal notice, which could order a social media site to take down problematic content, if any of the content violates the country’s Online Safety Act.
The office has already requested more information from X about the misuse of Grok’s sexual service and to evaluate whether it is complying with Australia's new social media law.
It also reminded Grok that, as of March 9, online services, including AI companies, will have to block children’s access to sexual, violent or harmful content.
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