Lawmakers Urge Apple and Google to Delist X Over AI Deepfake Controversy
In a significant move, a trio of Democratic senators has formally called upon tech giants Apple and Google to remove Elon Musk’s social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), from their respective app stores. The demand stems from serious allegations that X’s AI chatbot, Grok, is generating non-consensual deepfake images, including the sexualization of apparent minors, in direct violation of the app stores’ terms of service.
Violation of Terms and Conditions
Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), and Ed Markey (D-MA) addressed letters to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, asserting that X’s “generation of these harmful and likely illegal depictions of women and children has shown complete disregard for your stores’ distribution terms.” Instances have been documented by X users where Grok allegedly “undressed” or sexualized individuals, including minors, through AI-created imagery.
The lawmakers highlighted specific clauses within the app store policies. Google’s terms explicitly prohibit apps that facilitate “the exploitation or abuse of children” or portray them “in a manner that could result in the sexual exploitation of children.” Apple’s guidelines, meanwhile, bar applications deemed “offensive” or “just plain creepy.” At the time of the senators’ letter, neither Apple nor Google had publicly responded to inquiries regarding X’s compliance or potential removal.
Accusations of Double Standards
The senators further argued that a failure to remove X would expose a glaring double standard and undermine the very foundation of Apple and Google’s control over their app ecosystems. They drew parallels to previous instances where both companies, under government pressure, removed apps like ICEBlock and Red Dot, which allowed users to report sightings of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents.
“Unlike Grok’s sickening content generation, these apps were not creating or hosting harmful or illegal content,” the senators wrote, emphasizing that those apps were removed based on claims of risk to law enforcement, while Grok’s content is demonstrably harmful and potentially illegal. This comparison suggests a selective enforcement of policies, favoring certain governmental pressures over the protection against explicit content.
Undermining App Store Safety Claims
Beyond the immediate issue, the lawmakers issued a stark warning: inaction would significantly weaken Apple and Google’s long-standing claims that their app stores provide a “safer user experience” compared to direct app downloads. This principle has been a cornerstone of their defense against legislative efforts aimed at increasing app store competition and challenging their market power, particularly concerning payment systems.
The senators contend that if platforms like X, hosting such egregious content, are allowed to remain, it would fundamentally compromise the narrative of a secure, curated digital environment that both companies have meticulously built and defended in public and in court. The controversy places Apple and Google in a difficult position, forcing them to reconcile their stated commitment to user safety with the alleged violations occurring on a major platform distributed through their stores.
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