Elon Musk Bans Bikini Images on Grok Amid Global Backlash

Elon Musk‘s Social Media Policy Change amid Global Concerns

Image Editing Restrictions on X

Elon Musk has bowed to international pressures as his company announces a new policy forbidding the alteration of images depicting “real people in suggestive clothing, such as bikinis.” This restriction will apply to all users of the X platform, including those with paid subscriptions.

This policy shift comes in response to a viral spread of images featuring real women in bikinis earlier this month. Initially, Musk limited the image editing feature to paying users, but increasing complaints have now led to a full ban for all users.

Controversy Involving Minors

Adding to this controversy, the chatbot known as Grok inadvertently published images of minors. Musk stated he had not personally seen any inappropriate images but acknowledged the potential for Grok to generate unexpected content. He clarified that Grok operates based on user requests, with safeguards to avoid illegal content.

Global Reaction

Following these developments, Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, expressed her dismay, stating, “I am horrified that a technological platform allows users to digitally undress women and children on the internet. It is inconceivable behavior.” Additionally, the Spanish Ministry of Youth and Children expressed concerns regarding the increasing presence of sexualized images of minors and called for an investigation into Grok.

In a further attempt to mitigate these issues, X plans to geo-block the creation of images of real people in bikinis or underwear in jurisdictions where this is prohibited. Recently, Indonesia and Malaysia, vast markets for the platform, have already blocked Grok for its capacity to generate sexually explicit fake images.

Grok's Pentagon Integration

Amid these controversies, Grok is set for integration into the Pentagon's classified systems. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth announced this initiative during a visit to SpaceX. He stated that the military aims to leverage artificial intelligence beyond conventional tactics, mentioning a new approach to military operations. Hegseth reassured that the Pentagon's AI would operate without ideological constraints affecting legal military applications.

In this context, the Pentagon also introduced a new position for the director of digital and AI, appointing former Amazon Web Services employee Cameron Stanley. This marks a significant step in the growing collaboration between the defense sector and Silicon Valley.