Europe steps up pressure on X: UK investigates Grok, France summons Musk to testify

Social network X, owned by U.S. tycoon Elon Musk, is facing a simultaneous regulatory and judicial offensive in Europe. On Tuesday, the UK and France announced formal investigations against the platform and its artificial intelligence assistant Grok, amid growing concerns about the spread of fake sexual images, illegal content and possible failures in moderation, including risks to minors and the democratic system.

UK investigates fake AI-generated sexual images

In London, the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), the UK data protection regulator, announced the opening of an investigation against X and its AI company, xAI, for the creation and dissemination of fake sexual images generated by Grok, which sparked international outrage.

"The reported creation and circulation of such content raises serious concerns under UK data protection law and presents a risk of significant potential harm to the public," the ICO said in a statement.

The investigation seeks to determine whether personal data was processed lawfully, fairly and transparently, and whether adequate safeguards were incorporated into the design and deployment of Grok. If violations are confirmed, X could face fines of up to 4% of its worldwide annual turnover.

The case comes after it emerged that Grok allowed, through user requests, to digitally "strip" real people from photos or videos. As a result, several countries announced in January the total blocking of the tool, while X claimed to have limited its operation in jurisdictions where this type of content is illegal, without detailing in which countries the restriction applies.

The United Kingdom has just tightened its legislation, criminalizing the production or solicitation of non-consensual intimate images. In parallel, the British internet regulator Ofcom has kept open another investigation against X since January 12 for alleged failure to comply with its obligations to moderate illegal content and protect minors, with penalties that can reach 10% of worldwide turnover or even the blocking of the platform in the country.

France raids X's headquarters and summons Musk to testify

Just this Tuesday, the French justice system took a more forceful step: it raided X's premises in France and summoned Musk and the platform's former CEO, Linda Yaccarino, to testify in April as part of a judicial investigation that has been open since early 2025.

According to the Paris prosecutor's office, Musk and Yaccarino were summoned to voluntary hearings on April 20, 2026, with the aim of having them state their position on the facts and the measures taken to comply with French law, AFP referred.

The investigation was initiated following complaints from MPs who warned about an alleged bias of X algorithms, risks to democracy and lack of transparency in moderation decisions and Musk's personal interventions in the management of the platform. Subsequently, the inquiries were extended to more serious crimes, such as complicity in the dissemination of child pornography, Grok's role in the generation of fake sexual images and the dissemination of negationist content.

The prosecution also summoned X workers to testify as witnesses between April 20 and 24, in what it described as a "constructive" approach, unlike other recent cases in the digital sector.