Irish minister deactivates X account over Grok sexual deepfake controversy
An Irish minister deactivated account
Media Minister Patrick O’Donovan’s decision follows increased scrutiny in Ireland and the UK about Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) tool Grok. The integrated X feature came under criticism after users created a large number of sexually explicit images, including of children.
Grok now notifies users that requests for such content will only be honored for paid subscribers and asks for the names and payment details of those subscribers.
Speaking to Limerick Live 95 radio, Mr O’Donovan said “the abuse he received on the platform and the revelations about Grok this week” led to his departure.
“I actually deactivated my X account so I’m not on X anymore,” he said.
“Early this morning I deactivated it because honestly over the last few months, over the last few years, I no longer see it as a platform that I would use to share information.
“Because whether I’m talking to Joe Nash on Live 95, trying to explain something the department is doing, or just broadcasting something I’ve done in my own electorate, that inevitably follows a wave of abuse. That’s why I disabled it.”
He said he did not ask others to track his actions and deactivate his accounts.
Asked if this week’s concerns about Grok also prompted him to opt out, he said: “It was, yes it was.
“I’m the minister for communications and the minister for media, and I felt like, if you’re on a platform where this is allowed, regardless of whether you pay for it or not, I don’t feel comfortable with that.
“I’m not bothered by the fact that people will use my image, or your image, or someone else’s image, and artificially create something around it – maybe turn it into something it shouldn’t be – and then publish it.”
Earlier in the week, the minister responsible for artificial intelligence said that images created through Grok on X broke the law.
Niamh Smyth said she had requested a meeting with X about the matter and warned there would be consequences if it was found to be in breach of the law.
He said: “It is clear that child abuse images are absolutely illegal under Irish law.
“Whether they are real images or computer generated, which is what we are talking about here, distributing them on platforms is a criminal offence.
“The law, in my opinion, has been broken in Ireland.”
Ireland’s Attorney General is also examining whether current legislation provides adequate protection for citizens.
