28 advocacy groups call on Apple and Google to ban Grok, X over nonconsensual deepfakes (www.engadget.com)

A coalition of 28 advocacy groups, including Ultraviolet and ParentsTogether Action, has urged Apple and Google to remove the Grok and X apps from their platforms due to their roles in facilitating nonconsensual deepfakes, including images of minors. The letter highlights that both companies are profiting from applications that violate their own guidelines against harmful content, while deepfake technology, particularly from Musk's Grok, has reportedly produced thousands of sexualized images at an alarming rate. The groups argue that Apple and Google are enabling a serious threat to the online safety of women and children by not acting against these apps. This situation underscores growing concerns within the AI and machine learning community regarding the ethical implications of AI-generated content. The controversy has prompted swift action from various governments, with countries like Malaysia and Indonesia banning Grok, while regulators in the UK and California have launched formal investigations. Additionally, the US Senate's passage of the Defiance Act could empower victims of deepfake exploitation to seek civil action. With deepfakes becoming a tool for abuse, the call for accountability emphasizes the urgent need for stricter controls and ethical standards in AI technologies.