The Grok scandal is still unfolding, and so far, it has shown no signs of abating.
Grok was initially released in November 2023. However, this X (formerly Twitter) AI only gained infamy in January 2026 when X added an image-editing feature to the chatbot. You can modify any image you want by simply clicking ‘Edit’ and typing your request into the box.
Why does that matter? The Guardian reported recently that people had used Grok to generate three million sexualized images in just 11 days. But why would anyone take offense at your decision to erase that blouse and those jeans from that picture on your page, leaving you naked?
Because no one is generating sexualized pictures of themselves. Instead, they are producing sexualized pictures of other people. Imagine a scenario in which a random stranger grabs a family picture from your page, removes everyone’s clothes, places them in sexualized poses, and publishes that picture for the world to see.
Before you dismiss that suggestion as an exaggeration, of those three million sexualized images, 23,000 were of children, which is why the world is losing its mind. Grok is essentially allowing X users to make child pornography.
The controversy has raised an important question about public images and copyright law. Most of you think that any image you post online is fair game, and the public can use it as they see fit.
In many modern countries, you own every original image you create or post. As soon as you take that selfie, it is yours. You don’t have to formally apply for copyright. You automatically own the copyright to that selfie, and no one can use it without your consent. That means exactly what you think it means.
You can get in legal trouble for posting someone else’s original pictures or images without their permission, assuming the owner is willing to take action. Does that mean Grok is breaking copyright law by allowing a stranger to edit your pictures?
Well, maybe. Here is the problem with social media platforms. They recognize that every user owns the intellectual property rights to their content. However, when you join a social media platform, you also agree to grant them a license to use your content.
This is why another person can share your pictures on social media without attracting expensive lawsuits. Grok’s actions fall somewhere within that gap. Those terms and conditions you blindly agreed to while joining X give the chatbot more legal room than you realize.
In other words, your chances of successfully suing the company because Grok inserted your spouse or infant into a pornographic scene are low. X has limited Grok’s ability to alter images you don’t own in countries that forbid such actions.
But guess what? Uganda is not one of those countries. That leaves you with only one option. Stop posting personal pictures of yourself online. At the very least, stop posting high-quality images.
In response to international backlash, X has hidden Grok’s image-editing features behind a paywall. But that monthly $8 fee is unlikely to stop the world’s many perverts. Find a way of navigating social media without using real pictures of yourself. At the very least, leave your children out of your pictures.
Also, you can report individuals who misuse your images without your consent. More than likely, the platform in question will delete the images and ban the perpetrator.
Additionally, you can reach out to online resources such as eSafety, who work with victims to identify and forcefully remove their deepfakes from the internet. I used eSafety merely as an example.
They primarily help Australian victims. Look for online resources with a broader reach. You can also add watermarks to your photos. This encourages deepfake content creators to avoid them because a watermark makes your images easier to trace.
The internet is becoming more dangerous with each passing moment. As bad as you think things are, they can still get so much worse, and in ways you could not have predicted.
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