U.S. Senators Ask Apple and Google to Remove X and Grok Apps Over Sexualized Image Generation

[MacRumors]

In a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, U.S. Senators Ron Wyden, Ben Ray Lujan, and Edward Markey have requested that Apple and Google remove X Corp's X and Grok apps from their app stores over recent incidents of "mass generation of nonconsensual sexualized images of women and children."

X has come under fire over the past week amid reports of Grok's AI image generation capabilities being used to create images depicting women and children in bikinis or underwear. In response, X appears to have scaled back the ability for Grok to generate images in response to X posts by non-paying users, but The Verge notes that the tools remain available to paying subscribers and through the dedicated Grok tab in the X and in the standalone Grok app.

The senators argue that the "harmful and likely illegal depictions" are in violation of Apple's and Google's app store terms and that the two companies must remove the apps until the policy violations are addressed.

. . . Apple's terms of service bar apps from including "offensive" or "just plain creepy" content, which under any definition must include nonconsensually-generated sexualized images of children and women. Further, Apple's terms explicitly bar apps from including content that is "[o]vertly sexual or pornographic material" including material "intended to stimulate erotic rather than aesthetic or emotional feelings."

Turning a blind eye to X's egregious behavior would make a mockery of your moderation practices. Indeed, not taking action would undermine your claims in public and in court that your app stores offer a safer user experience than letting users download apps directly to their phones. This principle has been core to your advocacy against legislative reforms to increase app store competition and your defenses to claims that your app stores abuse their market power through their payment systems.

The senators request a written response to their letter by January 23.

Note: Due to the political or social nature of the discussion regarding this topic, the discussion thread is located in our Political News forum. All forum members and site visitors are welcome to read and follow the thread, but posting is limited to forum members with at least 100 posts.

Article Link: U.S. Senators Ask Apple and Google to Remove X and Grok Apps Over Sexualized Image Generation

 

[jz0309]

Bravo!
At the same time, do something about all those “features” that “AI” tools are offering, eg go against the corps that create those in the first place …

 

[WilliApple]

As much as I don’t like censorship, the porn is a huge problem with the AI, and I’m surprised it’s even a thing and doesn’t get censored already!

This really gonna make threads even more popular lmao

 

[TheDailyApple]

I remember when corporations at least tried to follow mottos like “don’t be evil.”

 

[nt5672]

Of course, corrupt government officials don't want any light to shine through X. Safari and the web in general are far worse. But that does not retaliate agains DOGE findings. Hopefully American's will see this for what it really is.

 

[VulchR]

What use is a walled garden if the gatekeeper allows apps in without adequate review?

Countries all over the world missed an opportunity with Apple. Instead of requiring that Apple open its walled garden to alternative app stores, they could have made Apple legally liable for apps they approve. This would have forced a much more careful review, but those countries listened too much to companies and individuals with a crass conflict of interest in wanting to bypass Apple's fees.

EDIT:

I remember when corporations at least tried to follow motos like “don’t be evil.”

When was that exactly?

 

[DeftwillP]

Or maybe you actually go after grok? Just a crazy thought.

 

[turbineseaplane]

It says so much about Elon Musk that he hasn't reined this in.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Or maybe you actually go after grok? Just a crazy thought.

Getting the Apps pulled from the 2 places they are sourced from would get WAY more attention from X/Musk on actually addressing this.

 

[BGrifter]

It’s insane to me there’s even a debate whether to ban Elon’s CSAM machine.

This should not be difficult.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Apps that allow you to interact with phrases like "undress this woman" or "show me underage naked girls" do not belong in the Apple App Store.

If Apple won't act on this, I don't want to hear any defenses of the walled garden and their App Review and/or curation.

None.

If you don't root out this level of horrendous you have zero ground to stand on.

 

[bruinsrme]

Anytime I see Ed Markey on anything, I can’t help but think he’s the last resort to make a team of 3.

 

[turbineseaplane]

A friend sent me a Gruber piece about this yesterday.

"If a new social network app launched featuring this content, it surely would be removed from the App Store and Play Store. X is seemingly untouchable for political reasons."

Why Are Grok and X Still Available in App Stores?

Link to: https://www.wired.com/story/x-grok-app-store-nudify-csam-apple-google-content-moderation/

daringfireball.net

 

[jarman92]

Apps that allow you to interact with phrases like "undress this woman" or "show me underage naked girls" do not belong in the Apple App Store.

If Apple won't act on this, I don't want to hear any defenses of the walled garden and their App Review and/or curation.

None.

If you don't root out this level of horrendous you have zero ground to stand on.

Evidently Apple only cares about protecting ICE agents, not regular people.

 

[bruinsrme]

Apps that allow you to interact with phrases like "undress this woman" or "show me underage naked girls" do not belong in the Apple App Store.

If Apple won't act on this, I don't want to hear any defenses of the walled garden and their App Review and/or curation.

None.

If you don't root out this level of horrendous you have zero ground to stand on.

How many warning have there been regarding AI?
There will be good uses and bad uses.

Getting the Apps pulled from the 2 places they are sourced from would get WAY more attention from X/Musk on actually addressing this.

so you’re a no to side loading?

 

[turbineseaplane]

Evidently Apple only cares about protecting ICE agents, not regular people.

All of this is downstream of Tim deciding that "capitulation to the regime" was the strategy to take.

Now they are in bed with that and will end up defending the indefensible, in perpetuity.

 

[cmChimera]

Apps that allow you to interact with phrases like "undress this woman" or "show me underage naked girls" do not belong in the Apple App Store.

If Apple won't act on this, I don't want to hear any defenses of the walled garden and their App Review and/or curation.

None.

If you don't root out this level of horrendous you have zero ground to stand on.

I agree that Apple should act on this, but Congress isn't acting either, so getting rid of the walled garden would probably just make the problem worse, not better.

 

[bruinsrme]

Evidently Apple only cares about protecting ICE agents, not regular people.

Who is a regular person?

 

[turbineseaplane]

I agree that Apple should act on this, but Congress isn't acting either, so getting rid of the walled garden would probably just make the problem worse, not better.

That's a strawman here.

The point is that Apple has rules for their store and they need to enforce them.

If they don't, everything else they say on these topics is absolutely rubbish.

If people want to do engage with awful stuff, sourced from wherever they want, that's up to them.

Apple shouldn't be HOSTING & distributing the Apps!!

Guys - this is not hard.

 

[jarman92]

Of course, corrupt government officials don't want any light to shine through X.

You consider naked images of children "light?"

Safari and the web in general are far worse.

"QUICK, LOOK OVER THERE!"

But that does not retaliate agains DOGE findings.

What "DOGE findings?" That nonsense was disbanded months ago after accomplishing nothing but wanton destruction while somehow costing billions of dollars.

Hopefully American's will see this for what it really is.

Indeed.

 

[Deacon-Blues]

Shameless attempt by Democrat senators to silence the one platform that actually allows both sides to express their opinions. X is not Grok, and Grok is not X. And they know that. Grok is a separate service and app that can be used through X, but not the same app. But if Grok is producing such content, it needs to be corrected immediately.

 

[jarman92]

Who is a regular person?

The regular people who are being stripped naked and plastered all over the internet. And the regular people who are having child sexual abuse material shoved in their faces while reading about sports or whatever on X.

 

[PBG4 Dude]

It’s insane to me there’s even a debate whether to ban Elon’s CSAM machine.

This should not be difficult.

If it were any other company, Apple wouldn’t need to be asked. But it’s a large company backed by a very rich man, so it gets to slide where anyone else would have been booted already.

 

[Plutonius]

In my opinion, it's all politics. If it was a bi-partisan request, I might feel differently.

 

[turbineseaplane]

Shameless attempt by Democrat senators to silence the one platform that actually allows both sides to express their opinions. X is not Grok, and Grok is not X. And they know that. Grok is a separate service and app that can be used through X, but not the same app. But if Grok is producing such content, it needs to be corrected immediately.

The same guy owns & runs both.
C'mon man

None of that matters on this topic.

What matters is that Apple is hosting and distributing an App that flagrantly violates their rules and allows absolutely heinous content to be "created" within it.