{"id":27344,"date":"2026-01-09T14:41:48","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T14:41:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/09\/after-sexualised-deepfake-backlash-grok-restricts-nsfw-image-tools-for-free-users-europe-unhappy-tech-news\/"},"modified":"2026-01-09T14:41:48","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T14:41:48","slug":"after-sexualised-deepfake-backlash-grok-restricts-nsfw-image-tools-for-free-users-europe-unhappy-tech-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/2026\/01\/09\/after-sexualised-deepfake-backlash-grok-restricts-nsfw-image-tools-for-free-users-europe-unhappy-tech-news\/","title":{"rendered":"After Sexualised Deepfake Backlash, Grok Restricts NSFW Image Tools For Free Users; Europe Unhappy | Tech News"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Grok was still granting image requests but only from the premium subscriber who pay $8 a month for features including higher usage limits for the chatbot.<\/h2>\n
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A representative image for Grok (AP)<\/p>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n

In a major update, Elon Musk\u2019s AI chatbot, Grok, is now preventing non-subscribers from generating or editing images. The move comes after Grok faced global backlash over sexualised deepfakes of people. However, authorities in Europe are not satisfied with the change.<\/p>\n

As per a report by AP, Grok is now responding to the image-altering requests with the message: \u201cImage generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers. You can subscribe to unlock these features.”<\/p>\n

The chatbot, accessible via Musk\u2019s social media platform X, recently allowed users to make malicious requests to alter images, including placing women in bikinis or explicit poses. This update faced global outrage.<\/p>\n

Alarmingly, some altered images reportedly depicted children, prompting worldwide condemnation and investigations into the platform. Governments reacted strongly, with the European Union labelling Grok\u2019s actions as \u201cillegal” and \u201cappalling,” and officials in countries such as France, India, Malaysia, and Brazil calling for thorough probes.<\/p>\n

Leaders and authorities in Europe are unsatisfied with the update as paying subscribers can still use the image generation feature.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis doesn\u2019t change our fundamental issue. Paid subscription or non-paid subscription, we don\u2019t want to see such images. It\u2019s as simple as that,” Thomas Regnier, a spokesman for the European Union\u2019s executive Commission, was quoted as saying by AP.<\/p>\n

On Thursday, Britain\u2019s Prime Minister, Keir Starmer, threatened unspecified action against X.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is disgraceful. It\u2019s disgusting. And it\u2019s not to be tolerated,” Starmer said on Greatest Hits radio. \u201cX has got to get a grip of this.” He said media regulator Ofcom \u201chas our full support to take action” and that \u201call options” are on the table.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s disgusting. X needs to get their act together and get this material down. We will take action on this because it\u2019s simply not tolerable.”<\/p>\n

Ofcom and Britain\u2019s privacy regulator both said this week they\u2019ve contacted X and Musk\u2019s artificial intelligence company, xAI, for information on measures they\u2019ve taken to comply with British regulations.<\/p>\n

Location :<\/span><\/p>\n

Washington D.C., United States of America (USA)<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

First Published:<\/span><\/p>\n
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January 09, 2026, 19:56 IST<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

News<\/a> tech<\/a> After Sexualised Deepfake Backlash, Grok Restricts NSFW Image Tools For Free Users; Europe Unhappy<\/span><\/div>\n
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Last Updated:January 09, 2026, 19:56 IST Grok was still granting image requests but only from the premium subscriber who pay $8 a month for features including higher usage limits for the chatbot. A representative image for Grok (AP) In a major update, Elon Musk\u2019s AI chatbot, Grok, is now preventing non-subscribers from generating or editing…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1625,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-27344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tech"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=27344"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/27344\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1625"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=27344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=27344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/tezgyan.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=27344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}