Advocacy Groups Demand Apple and Google Remove X’s Grok from App Stores
Key Points
- A coalition of 28 advocacy groups has sent open letters to Apple and Google demanding removal of X’s Grok.
- The groups allege Grok is used to create non‑consensual sexual deepfakes, including child sexual abuse material.
- They claim Grok’s presence violates Apple’s App Review Guidelines and Google’s content policies.
- X’s restriction of Grok to paid subscribers is criticized as monetizing abusive content.
- The campaign, called “Get Grok Gone,” aligns with UltraViolet’s “Reclaim the Domain” initiative.
- Advocacy groups call for immediate removal of Grok from both app stores to stop the abuse.
A coalition of 28 advocacy groups, including women’s organizations and tech watchdogs, has sent open letters to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai demanding the removal of X’s Grok from both companies’ app stores. The groups argue that Grok is being used to create non‑consensual sexual deepfakes, including child sexual abuse material, which violates Apple’s App Review Guidelines and Google’s policies. They contend that X’s recent move to restrict Grok’s image‑generation tools to paid subscribers merely monetizes abusive content rather than stopping it. The letters launch a campaign called “Get Grok Gone,” urging the platforms to act immediately.
Coalition Calls for Immediate Action
A coalition of twenty‑eight advocacy groups, among them women’s advocacy group UltraViolet, the National Organization for Women, Women’s March, MoveOn, and Friends of the Earth, has issued open letters to the CEOs of Apple and Google. The letters demand that the companies swiftly remove X’s Grok app and the Grok integration within the X platform from their respective app stores.
The groups assert that Grok is being used to generate large volumes of non‑consensual intimate images, known as NCII, as well as child sexual abuse material (CSAM). They note that such content is both a criminal offense and a direct violation of Apple’s App Review Guidelines, which prohibit the distribution of illicit sexual imagery.
Violation of Platform Policies
According to the coalition, the presence of Grok on Apple’s App Store and Google’s Play Store runs contrary to the companies’ stated policies against harmful content. The advocacy groups point out that X’s decision to limit Grok’s image‑generation and editing capabilities to paid subscribers does not address the underlying problem. Instead, they argue it merely “monetizes abusive NCII on X” without providing an effective safeguard.
The letters describe a “mass spree of ‘mass digitally undressing’ women and minors” occurring on X, attributing the surge to Grok’s easy accessibility. The coalition emphasizes that civil society groups have been warning about Grok’s potential for abuse since its launch, and they view the current situation as a continuation of that risk.
“Get Grok Gone” Campaign
The advocacy effort is part of a broader initiative titled “Get Grok Gone.” The campaign coincides with the launch of UltraViolet’s “Reclaim the Domain” effort, which seeks to combat the non‑consensual creation and distribution of intimate images across digital platforms.
In the letters, the groups call on Apple leadership to “immediately remove access to both apps,” emphasizing that continued availability enables the proliferation of illegal and harmful material. They make a parallel appeal to Google, using nearly identical language to urge the removal of Grok from the Play Store.
Industry and Public Response
The coalition’s demands place pressure on both Apple and Google to enforce their own content policies more rigorously. By highlighting the alleged violations and the ongoing harm, the groups aim to compel the tech giants to act decisively against the misuse of AI‑generated imagery on X.
While the letters do not detail any specific legal actions, they signal a willingness to continue public advocacy and to mobilize further support if the platforms do not respond promptly. The coalition’s coordinated approach underscores a growing concern among civil society about the intersection of artificial intelligence, digital privacy, and sexual exploitation.