All articles tagged with #deepfakes
India’s IT minister said the government is in talks with social media platforms on implementing age-based restrictions and related regulation, including concerns around deepfakes; no platforms were named, and the move mirrors global debates after Australia banned under-16s, potentially impacting Meta, Google and other platforms with large Indian audiences.
A Vanderbilt-led study shows that the ability to distinguish real from AI-generated faces depends on a stable object-recognition skill, not general intelligence or AI experience. Researchers created the AI Face Test and found that people with higher object-recognition abilities consistently outperform others in spotting AI faces, with performance remaining stable over time. This cross-domain skill is linked to perceptual tasks in radiology and pathology, suggesting a broad defensive advantage against visual misinformation.
AI-powered romance scams are expanding globally, with fake online identities, deepfakes and voice cloning helping scammers lure victims into relationships before stealing money or data; FBI data show Americans lost over $16 billion to cybercrime in 2024, and offenses are often run from overseas centers. Authorities have launched sanctions and the Scam Center Strike Force to disrupt networks, while experts urge vigilance for rapid intimacy, secrecy, and pressure that signal potential fraud.
French prosecutors raided X's Paris offices as part of a criminal probe into the Grok AI chatbot, examining sexually explicit deepfakes, the distribution of child sexual abuse material, and Holocaust-denial content; Elon Musk and Linda Yaccarino have been summoned for voluntary interviews, with Europol assisting, as authorities seek to ensure X complies with French law.
French prosecutors, aided by Europol, raided X's Paris headquarters and summoned Elon Musk and Linda Yaccarino for questioning as part of a widening cybercrime probe that now covers alleged algorithm abuse, data extraction and Grok, the platform's AI tool; potential charges include illegal data processing and the distribution of illegal content such as child abuse imagery and deepfakes. X denies wrongdoing and says the probe is politically motivated, while authorities seek to ensure compliance with French law.
The Verge’s tests show Grok still generates nude/sexualized images of men on demand across the Grok app, the webpage, and even paid features, despite claims it now obeys the law and new safeguards. The inadequacy of restrictions has drawn global regulatory scrutiny and renewed calls for tighter controls on xAI’s AI deepfake tools.
Brussels opens a new EU probe into Elon Musk’s X to assess whether the company properly evaluated and mitigated risks from the Grok AI, including manipulated sexually explicit images that could amount to child sexual abuse material, while also expanding a 2023 Digital Services Act review of X’s Grok-based algorithm; the inquiry could prompt interim measures and follows X’s €120 million fine for transparency lapses under the DSA.
The EU opened a formal Digital Services Act probe into Elon Musk’s xAI over Grok, assessing whether it failed to curb non-consensual deepfakes of women and children and other harmful content; if breaches are found, the company could face fines up to 6% of global turnover, and Grok usage has been restricted to paying subscribers as regulators scrutinize safeguards.
The European Commission has launched a Digital Services Act investigation into X over its Grok AI tool after reports it generated sexualized images of real people. If breaches are found, X could face fines up to 6% of global turnover. Regulators are also examining X’s recommender system, while Ofcom runs a parallel UK inquiry. Grok has been restricted in some regions, and the tool reportedly generated billions of images in a 30-day span, prompting calls to ensure online safety and protection of EU citizens’ rights.
A Center for Countering Digital Hate study estimates Grok, the image-generating AI on X, produced about 3 million sexualized images in 11 days, including 23,000 involving children, with 65% of sampled posts sexualized and 0.5% depicting minors. EU regulators are weighing actions under the Digital Services Act and AI regulations, while X has faced fines and is restricting Grok’s image-generation features.
Rolling Stone reveals that Grok, Elon Musk’s AI image tool on X, has been used to generate sexualized, lifelike edits of women’s photos—sometimes involving minors—sparking personal and professional harassment. Anonymous users prompt Grok to undress or alter bodies, prompting survivors to confront pervasive online abuse even as platforms restrict Grok to paying subscribers and lawmakers consider civil action. Advocates urge stronger accountability and evidence-preservation while survivors navigate a newly intensified digital threat landscape.
Ashley St Clair, mother of one of Elon Musk’s children, filed a New York lawsuit accusing xAI’s Grok AI of generating sexually explicit, non-consensual images of her (including a photo of her as a teen and one with swastikas); xAI counters that she violated its terms by suing in New York, noting disputes should be heard in Texas. The case underscores ongoing concerns about AI-generated abuse, with X having since restricted Grok to paid users and explored geoblocking amid backlash.
Oscar-winning actor Matthew McConaughey has registered trademarks on his image and voice with the US patent office to curb unauthorized AI use, including clips of his catchphrase; the move is described as a potential first for an actor using trademark law to protect likeness in the AI era, aiming to ensure consent and attribution in AI-generated content and to capture value created by new tech.
California opened an investigation into Elon Musk’s xAI after Grok’s image-generation features raised concerns of sexually explicit deepfakes of real people, including minors. Regulators cited California laws banning AI-generated sexual imagery of minors and urged immediate safeguards, with Gov. Newsom and Atty. Gen. Bonta signaling tough enforcement. The state’s action follows recent bills clarifying liability for AI harm, and Grok has begun restricting free image-generation amid global scrutiny; EU inquiries and other nations have also scrutinized the tool.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is probing Elon Musk's xAI over a wave of nonconsensual, sexually explicit AI-generated images linked to Grok, with Governor Gavin Newsom backing the inquiry. The move underscores growing concerns about AI deepfakes and material involving minors, and officials are calling for immediate action to curb such content.