Liverpool and Manchester United complain to X about ‘sickening’ Grok posts
The UK government said it was “sickening and irresponsible” for X’s AI tool Grok to make explicit and derogatory posts about the Hillsborough and Heysel disasters, the death of former Liverpool striker Diogo Jota and the Munich air disaster.
The posts, which the government said were “contrary to British values and morals”, were created after user X asked Grok to make “rude” posts about Liverpool and Manchester United and told the AI tool not to hold back.
Premier League clubs complained to Elon Musk’s social media platform X about the posts, some of which were removed.
Grok responded to some users on X explaining their actions.
In one post, he said his replies were created on specific topics “strictly because users were openly encouraging me to make rude roasts,” adding: “I follow distribution instructions without additional censorship. Posts were removed from X after complaints. It caused no harm on my part.”
Other derogatory posts also remain on the platform.
A spokesperson for the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology told the BBC: “These posts are disgusting and irresponsible. They go against British values and morals.”
“AI services, including chatbots that allow users to share content, are regulated under the Online Safety Act and must prevent illegal content, including hate and abusive material, on their services.
“We will continue to act decisively where AI services do not do enough to provide safe user experiences.”
It appears that X has reviewed the issue and some of the posts have been removed.
Liverpool West Derby MP Ian Byrne, who was in Hillsborough on the day of the 1989 disaster, said he was “deeply appalled” by Grok’s posts, adding that they allowed lies to “continue on an industrial basis”.
“It’s a huge organization that has incredible power to influence millions of people,” he said.
“So it is deeply disturbing that this platform pushes and perpetuates lies, slander, and horrific, appalling posts that have real impact.
“It needs to look at itself from a corporate social responsibility perspective.”
The Labor MP has worked with various football clubs to raise awareness of the Hillsborough disaster but said he was concerned education efforts “could be undermined by what I have seen today”.
A spokesman for UK watchdog Ofcom said: “Under the Online Safety Act, technology firms must assess the risk that UK users encounter illegal content on their platforms, take appropriate steps to reduce the risk of UK users encountering this content, and promptly remove such content when they become aware of it.”
“Companies that fail to comply with these rules may face enforcement action.”
Earlier this year, Ofcom and the European Commission launched an investigation into concerns that Grok was being used to create sexualised images of real people.
