Brazilian Authorities Issue Ultimatum to X Over Grok Deepfakes
Brazilian authorities have issued a stern directive to Elon Musk's social media platform X, ordering it to immediately cease its AI chatbot, Grok, from generating sexually explicit deepfake images. The order, delivered on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, mandates that X comply within five days or face potential legal action and significant financial penalties.
The joint statement was issued by the National Data Protection Agency (ANPD), the National Consumer Rights Bureau (Senacon), and the Federal Prosecution Service. These agencies specifically instructed X to 'immediately implement appropriate measures to prevent the production, using Grok, of sexualized or eroticized content of children and adolescents, as well as adults who have not given their consent.'
Continued Concerns Despite Previous Warnings
This latest action by Brazil comes after previous warnings issued in January regarding Grok's capabilities. Brazilian regulators stated that X had previously claimed to have deleted thousands of posts and suspended hundreds of accounts in response to an earlier alert. However, follow-up checks revealed that users were still able to create sexualized deepfakes using Grok. Authorities criticized the company for what they described as a 'lack of transparency in its response.'
The 'Spicy Mode' Feature and International Pressure
The controversy surrounding Grok intensified due to its 'Spicy Mode' feature, which enabled users to generate explicit, AI-manipulated images through simple text prompts such as 'put her in a bikini' or 'remove her clothes.' The Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) estimated that Grok produced an estimated three million sexualized images of women and children within days of the feature's release.
Brazil's order is part of a growing international effort to regulate AI technologies and hold platforms accountable for harmful content. Indonesia blocked Grok entirely last month, and authorities in Britain and France have also indicated they will continue to pressure X and its AI company, xAI, to address the issue. While X announced new safeguards on January 15 aimed at preventing Grok from digitally altering images of real people in jurisdictions where such actions are illegal, the effectiveness and specific implementation of these restrictions remain unclear.
Implications for AI Regulation
This directive from Brazil underscores the global challenge of regulating rapidly advancing AI technologies that may lack adequate safety mechanisms. The outcome of Brazil's order could establish a precedent for how sovereign nations address AI tools capable of generating non-consensual explicit content. X and xAI have not yet issued an official statement in response to Brazil's latest directive.
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