The European Parliament's Committee on Women's Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) on 5 May 2026 examined the proliferation of AI-generated sexual images of women and children, focusing on the Grok case on X. Chair Lina Gálvez (S&D) linked the issue to the Commission's ongoing Digital Services Act (DSA) investigation and Parliament's resolution on cyberbullying. Experts Suvi Uski (SomeBuddy), Seyi Akiwowo (Glitch), and David Reichel (FRA) testified.
Key divergences emerged on enforcement, liability, and education. Brando Benifei (S&D) argued X breached the DSA by deploying Grok without a risk assessment, calling for robust enforcement. In contrast, Arba Kokalari (EPP) stressed enforcing existing laws over creating new bans, warning against overregulation. Michael McNamara (Renew) and Abir Al-Sahlani (Renew) backed targeted bans on nudification systems, while Akiwowo urged a shift to a duty of care for platforms. Birgit Sippel (S&D) went further, calling for temporary market exclusion for non-compliant platforms.
On business models, Gálvez and Sippel argued platforms profit from harmful content, while Akiwowo noted design choices can optimize for healthier engagement. On education, Alessandra Moretti (S&D) and Laurence Trochu (ECR) emphasized parental responsibility, but Sippel dismissed education as insufficient against profit-driven harm. On access restrictions, Heléne Fritzon (S&D) supported age limits, while Akiwowo and Reichel cautioned against blanket bans, citing children's empowerment rights.
Consensus existed that AI-generated deepfakes constitute serious gender-based violence, platforms bear responsibility, and current responses lag. Next steps include feeding into AI omnibus negotiations and DSA enforcement. Affected stakeholders include women, children, platforms, educators, and law enforcement.