EU Targets X Over Illegal Content and Sexual Deepfakes

The European Union has turned its attention to X, scrutinizing the platform for its handling of illegal content and the spread of sexually explicit deepfakes, amid growing concerns over digital safety and the enforcement of online regulations.

Europe Scrutinizes X Over Harmful Content Moderation

A renewed investigation has been launched by the European Union into the moderation policies of the social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter and now owned by Elon Musk. This probe follows disturbing revelations: images with explicit sexual content, some allegedly involving child exploitation, generated by artificial intelligence have circulated on the network. These findings have prompted the European Commission to examine whether X has sufficiently curtailed illegal content—particularly with the rollout of its new AI tool, Grok.

Heightened Risks and Regulatory Demands

The spread of manipulated imagery has alarmed EU officials, who argue such risks have “materialized,” exposing European citizens to serious harm. The core issue under review is whether the company complies with the stringent requirements of the Digital Services Act (DSA). The Commission’s executive vice-president, Henna Virkkunen, voiced strong concerns, characterizing sexual deepfakes targeting women and children as an intolerable form of violent degradation. The overarching question for Brussels remains: have fundamental rights—especially those of women and minors—been treated as mere collateral damage in pursuit of technological advancement?

Ongoing Tensions Between Europe and Big Tech

Mounting frustration from European authorities is not new. Previously, Musk’s company incurred a €120 million fine (around $140 million) for DSA violations. The pressure only grows as Europe intensifies oversight of major American tech firms—a trend that has occasionally provoked sharp rebukes from across the Atlantic. In a particularly pointed episode, Musk labeled the EU a “fourth Reich” and called for its dissolution on his own platform. This rhetorical clash underscores a broader battle over how—and by whom—online spaces are governed.

A Broader Regulatory Offensive

This latest inquiry extends beyond AI-generated explicit imagery; it builds on earlier investigations dating back to 2023, which scrutinized X’s recommendation algorithms and tools designed to curb illicit material online. According to a spokesperson quoted by The New York Times, “X remains committed to ensuring safety for all users, upholding zero tolerance for child exploitation or non-consensual sexual content.” Nevertheless, it is clear that the standoff between Brussels and Silicon Valley powerhouses like X continues to intensify—a trend unlikely to abate soon.