A politician from Northern Ireland, who was the subject of a deepfake video four years ago, has announced her decision to leave Elon Musk’s social media platform X, citing what she called “a total failure to safeguard women and children online.”
Cara Hunter from the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP) mentioned that her choice was driven by increasing worries about deepfake images generated by the platform’s AI feature called Grok.
Ofcom has initiated an official inquiry into Xto check if it has fulfilled its responsibility to safeguard individuals in the UK from unlawful material.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has stated that she would support Ofcom in blocking UK access to X, but Musk has claimed that critics are attempting to do so.“any excuse for censorship.”
In a statement, Ofcom mentioned that it had “urgently” reached out to X and “established a strict deadline of Friday, 9 January, for it to clarify the actions it has taken to meet its obligations in safeguarding users within the UK.”
The watchdog stated that it has now chosen to initiate a formal inquiry to determine if X has not met its legal requirements under the Online Safety Act.
If Ofcom determines that a company has violated the law, it has the authority to levy fines of up to £18 million or 10% of the company’s global revenue — whichever amount is higher.
The has contacted X for comment.
‘An absolute disgrace’
SDLP MLA Hunter stated to News NI, “Grok represents the peak of how shameful X has become.”
“From an ethical standpoint, and in good conscience, I believe I cannot keep using this site,” she stated.
Four years ago, East Londonderry MLA Hunter became the victim of a deepfake video, where her face was digitally placed onto someone else’s.
The footage was shared extensively on social media in the lead-upto the 2022 Stormont election.
Hunter stated: “Any platform that aids in the production or misleading portrayal of women using their image without permission, resulting in sexual content, is a complete disgrace.”
She mentioned that the “dynamic” of X had “undergone significant changes,” noting that it “enabled numerous derogatory remarks about women.”
Hunter stated that she backs government involvement, noting it is “a positive move, considering the absence of protections and safety measures for women and children in particular.”
‘Structural not accidental failures’
The Northern Ireland Green Party has also announced it will cease using X.
“The platform has consistently failed to adequately address child sexual abuse material, deepfake abuse, and organized misinformation,” said Belfast councillor Brian Smyth.
“Those failures are inherent, not random,” he added.
The deployment of Grok to create non-consensual sexually explicit images has been criticized by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, who described it as “disgraceful” and “disgusting”.
X has restricted the AI image feature to only paying subscribers, a move described by Downing Street as “insulting” to survivors of sexual assault.
Ofcom’s powers under the Online Safety Actinclude the ability to apply for a court order to stop third parties from assisting X in raising funds or preventing access to it within the UK, should the company refuse to cooperate.
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