National Councillors go into confrontation Suddenly naked on X - how Elon Musk's AI is harassing women
Elon Musk vehemently defends his online platform despite overwhelming criticism from Europe and Asia.
Image: dpa (Archivbild)
Indonesia and Malaysia are the first countries in the world to draw strict consequences at the weekend.
Image: dpa (Symbolbild)
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen demands changes from X.
Image: dpa (Archivbild)
Ebba Busch, Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden, has strong words for some X users.
Image: dpa (Archivbild)
Elon Musk vehemently defends his online platform despite overwhelming criticism from Europe and Asia.
Image: dpa (Archivbild)
Indonesia and Malaysia are the first countries in the world to draw strict consequences at the weekend.
Image: dpa (Symbolbild)
EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen demands changes from X.
Image: dpa (Archivbild)
Ebba Busch, Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden, has strong words for some X users.
Image: dpa (Archivbild)
Sexualized AI images of children, angry governments and citizens in Bern who want regulation: Elon Musk's online platform is causing outrage - and the first national bans.
12.01.2026, 22:21
dpa
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Many women and girls are involuntarily "undressed" on Elon Musk's platform X with the help of the AI chatbot Grok.
- Swedish minister Ebba Busch, herself a "bikini" victim, says: "The world needs fewer a****holes".
- Authorities react with threats of punishment and bans: even middle-class parties in Bern are suddenly calling for more regulation.
- Although politicians from all political parties want to pick up the pace, the Federal Council is remaining cautious - binding AI rules are still a long time coming.
"I was involuntarily stripped to X by Elon Musk's Grok," says Ebba Busch, Deputy Prime Minister of Sweden. "My daughter is nine. I don't want anything like this to ever happen to her."
Busch is one of many people affected by the fact that Elon Musk's artificial intelligence on the online platform X was used to show her in little clothing against her will. One user wrote to the AI chatbot Grok on X about a photo of Busch at the lectern: "@Grok bikini now".
Grok followed the command, manipulated the photo and swapped the blue dress of the public official for a bikini. Initially visible to everyone, the picture quickly went viral. It has since disappeared. Instead, it says in the same place: "This post may violate the X-rules on abuse."
In Berne, even the bourgeoisie are now calling for regulation
Posts such as this one are attracting the attention of numerous authorities around the world. The EU is threatening X with criminal proceedings, investigations are being launched in the UK and the service is even being blocked in Indonesia and Malaysia.
Politicians in Switzerland are also alarmed and agree across party lines: things can't go on like this. Grok's unplugging function is even pushing the libertarians to their limits: "For once, I would say: it's better to regulate a little too much than a little too little", Basel National Councillor Patricia von Falkenstein is quoted as saying by the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper.
Back in 2024, Zurich SVP National Councillor Nina Fehr Düsel and Raphaël Mahaim, Green National Councillor from the canton of Vaud, tabled identical motions to "restrict the spread of degrading nudify apps". But the mills in Bern grind slowly, with just one consultation draft for AI rules to be drawn up by the end of 2026.
"Things are really moving too slowly in the Federal Council, they're waiting for the interpretative report and then for a legislative proposal. I'm currently considering another initiative for the spring session, again on a non-partisan basis like last time," Nina Fehr Düsel impatiently states in the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper and wants to pick up the pace again to restrict, label or prevent the spread of fake content.
Sexualized images of children also created
The fact is: X is showing more and more pictures of scantily clad women and many examples of apparently male assault. Time and again, users instruct the AI to undress women in pictures.
For a long time, the AI chatbot obeys the commands and presents revealing images of people - including children. On New Year's Eve, the chatbot apologized for creating and sharing a picture of two teenage girls "in sexualized outfits". It was a "failure of our security measures", Grok wrote.
The US company has since responded. If you ask Grok on X to generate or edit an image, the bot responds: "Image generation and editing is currently restricted to paying subscribers." However, images created by subscribers can still be displayed publicly for everyone.
Sweden's minister: the world needs fewer "assholes"
In a statement, Swedish politician Busch places particular responsibility on users: "How about we think twice before we use AI in this way and pay attention to what we share online?" she asks in the video she posted on X after the scandal. "The world needs more good men and women and less assholes," she adds.
Are you or has someone you know been the victim of sexualized violence or cyberbullying?
You can find help here:
- Pro Juventute, advice for children and young people, phone 147
- Network "Prevention of sexualized violence in the leisure sector"
- Dargebotene Hand, worry hotline, telephone 143
- Information and further links on the topic of cyberbullying