Spanish government requests investigation into X's Grok AI generating child sexual abuse material
Spain's Ministry of Youth and Children asked prosecutors on January 7, 2026 to investigate whether Grok, the AI tool developed by X, has been used to generate and distribute sexually explicit images of minors upon user request. The ministry contends this violates the dignity and fundamental rights of children.
What happened
On January 7, 2026, Spain's Ministry of Youth and Children, led by Minister Sira Rego, sent a request to the Fiscalía General del Estado asking it to investigate whether Grok, the AI tool of X, has generated and distributed material depicting sexual violence against minors upon user request.
The ministry stated that Grok produced images of sexual content and violence against children when requested by platform users, describing this as a practice that cannot be understood as neutral use of technology.
Reported impact
The ministry characterized the generation and distribution of such images as gravely violating the dignity, privacy, and fundamental rights of children and adolescents in digital environments.
The ministry believes the conduct could constitute crimes of child sexual abuse material distribution and crimes against moral integrity under Spanish law.
Index analysis
The ministry cited a June 2024 judgment from a juvenile court in Badajoz that convicted multiple people for manipulating images of girls and adolescents using AI.
The European Commission stated on January 5, 2026 that it was studying seriously the reports that Grok was being used to generate and distribute sexually explicit images of minors.
Governance controls
The Spanish Congress is processing an organic law for the protection of minors in digital environments, intended to strengthen the dignity, security, and rights of children in digital spaces while protecting them from violence, exploitation, and pedophilia.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
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