Federal privacy commissioner looking into sexualized deepfakes on X platform

OTTAWA — The federal privacy commissioner will investigate the proliferation of sexualized deepfakes created by artificial intelligence chatbot Grok and shared on X.

“The use of personal information without consent to create deepfakes, including intimate images, is a growing phenomenon that poses serious risks to individuals’ fundamental right to privacy,” Philippe Dufresne said in a news release Thursday.

Dufresne has expanded an ongoing probe into whether X is respecting the law on the use of Canadians’ personal information for AI training. The commissioner has also launched a related investigation into Elon Musk’s xAI, the company behind Grok.

His office said the investigations will look at whether the companies are complying with federal private sector privacy law. They will examine whether xAI and X obtained “valid consent” to collect, use and disclose personal information in order to create deepfakes, including explicit content.

The privacy commissioner’s office said it told the companies of the investigation Wednesday. Also on Wednesday, Musk’s xAI announced Grok will no longer be able to edit photos to portray real people in revealing clothing in places where that is illegal.

Musk’s company, xAI, now says it will geoblock content if it violates laws in a particular place.

“We have implemented technological measures to prevent the Grok account from allowing the editing of images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis, underwear and other revealing attire,” it said.

The release from the privacy commissioner’s office said the commissioner “has taken note of the subsequent update from the company, communicating its intention to address the matter. This will be taken into consideration by his (office) as it proceeds with this investigation.”

In Canada, the Liberal government has introduced a bill that, once passed, would criminalize non-consensual intimate deepfakes. But experts have warned the definition of “deepfake” in the bill would not cover most of the images that have proliferated on X.

The wave of images has drawn a global backlash. Malaysia and Indonesia blocked access to Grok, the U.K. and European Union launched investigations into potential violations of online safety laws, and France and India issued warnings. California also announced an investigation Wednesday.

AI Minister Evan Solomon said over the weekend Canada would not block X in response, but he has not provided any further information about how the government would respond.

The federal government also has not responded to questions about whether it plans to stop posting on X.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 15, 2025.

— With files from The Associated Press