European Commission Intensifies Scrutiny on Elon Musk's X Platform

Investigation into AI-Generated Content

The European Commission has taken a significant step by requiring X, the social media platform owned by Elon Musk, to preserve all internal documents and data related to its AI chatbot, Grok. This decision comes amid growing concerns over the platform's handling of inappropriate and illegal content, particularly images involving minors.

Background and Context

The Commission's directive, revealed on January 8, 2026, instructs X to retain all relevant documents until December 2026. This move is part of the Commission's broader examination of the platform's compliance with existing regulations. While the Commission's spokesperson, Thomas Regnier, emphasized that this does not constitute a formal new investigation, it indicates heightened scrutiny of X's content moderation practices.

Key Issues and Concerns

1. Illegal Content Distribution: The Commission expressed particular concern over images depicting naked women and children circulating on the platform.
2. AI Chatbot Controversy: Grok, X's AI chatbot, has faced criticism for allegedly creating sexualized images, including those of minors, in response to user prompts.
3. Platform Accountability: The EU's actions reflect a growing focus on holding social media platforms accountable for their content moderation policies and AI-driven features.

Implications and Future Steps

This development underscores the EU's commitment to regulating digital platforms and ensuring compliance with content standards. For X and similar platforms, this signals the need for enhanced transparency and more robust content moderation practices. The outcome of this scrutiny could have significant implications for the regulation of AI-driven features in social media.