An online function that undresses images of people without their consent is not a tool but “a weapon”, a protest outside the Dublin headquarters of X has been told.
Saturday’s demonstration heard that the Grok AI app on Elon Musk’s social media platform was one such “weapon” which exploits children and adults for profit.
A former content moderator with Twitter, now X, said a “drastic reduction” in the number of content moderators had taken place on the platform since it became X. She called for those responsible for the design and release of such functions to be held accountable.
The former content moderator, who gave her name as Rosanna, said there had been “a drastic shrinking of moderation teams and loosening of safety policies”, since Twitter had become X.
She said this was “all in the name of free speech”, but added that across social media, “we are witnessing the deliberate release of AI features that undermine this principle of safety”.
“Thousands of sexualised deepfakes of women and children are generated with a single click,” she said.
“It is criminal. And as such, the people responsible for its design and release should be held accountable.”
Richard Boyd Barrett, a People Before Profit TD for Dún Laoghaire, called for the gardaí to investigate X. “Yesterday we learned that more than 200 investigations are already under way.”
Mr Boyd Barrett said social media platforms were putting the responsibility for tools like Grok on the users of such technology.
“The Government here has been dragging its heels. Last week I suggested the Garda be sent in and [Taoiseach] Micheál Martin accused me of Big Brother tactics, asking who did I want to turn the police on next. But of course, because of public outrage they have now changed their tune and they were forced to talk of legislation, of enforcement,” he said.
Mr Boyd Barrett said social media platforms which allow tools to be used to generate images of adults and children “should now be criminally responsible for what they have already done.”
X has been contacted for comment.
On Friday, the Minister with responsibility for artificial intelligence (AI), Niamh Smyth, said X had conceded it hosted content that is illegal in Ireland following a meeting with the company.
The company said it has halted Grok’s ability to remove or reduce clothing on individuals. However, Ms Smyth said it did not take responsibility for the content created by the app.