January 11, 2026 - Washington, D.C. — In response to X Corp’s Grok AI tool being used to generate nonconsensual 
sexualized images of women and children at scale in recent days, U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, D-Ore., Sen. Edward J. Markey, D-Mass., and Sen. Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., urged Apple and Google to immediately remove the X and Grok apps from their app stores until the company’s Chief Executive Officer, Elon Musk, addresses these disturbing and likely illegal activities.
Related: University of California Study Finds Persistent Spike in Hate Speech on Elon Musk’s X
In recent days, X users have used the Grok AI tool to nonconsensually generate sexual imagery of real, private citizens, including sexualized depictions of children and modified depictions of women being sexually abused, humiliated, hurt and even killed. Researchers have also discovered that the Grok app has reportedly created more than 70 sexualized images of children since August. Musk has reportedly encouraged this behavior, including reacting to these trends with laugh-cry emojis.
“There can be no mistake about X’s knowledge, and, at best, negligent response to these trends,” the senators wrote in their letter to Apple Chief Executive Officer Tim Cook and Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai. “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.”
Apple and Google’s app store policies are clear that they prohibit disturbing and offensive content, which includes nonconsensually generated sexual images of children and women. The companies’ failure to act in response to Grok’s production of disturbing and likely illegal content, including potentially child sexual abuse materials, contrasts with their speedy decisions to remove apps that allow users to lawfully report immigration enforcement activities, following pressure from political leadership at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The text of the letter is here
Source: Senator Ron Wyden
