EU Orders X to Preserve Documents Over Grok-Generated Images; App Stores Continue Distribution

Both Apple and Google prohibit apps containing illegal Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM) or pornography under their app store guidelines. However, as of the time of writing, the X app and the standalone Grok app remain available in both stores. Apple, Google, and X did not respond to requests for comment.

Non-consensual explicit images generated by Grok have surged over the past two weeks. According to one researcher, approximately 6,700 sexual or "nudify" images were generated within a 24-hour period from January 5 to 6. WIRED reported that it reviewed about one-third of these images and found that many featured women.

A spokesperson for the European Commission condemned the images generated by Grok as "illegal" and "shameful." The EU has ordered X to preserve internal documents and data related to Grok until the end of 2026. This measure is intended to verify compliance with the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA).

Regulators in the UK, India, and Malaysia have also launched investigations into X. Grok is operated by Musk's AI startup, xAI, which has also not responded to inquiries. In a statement on January 3, X warned that those who use Grok to create illegal content will face the same actions as those who upload such content.