Why I reached my pain threshold in the European Parliament today
Dear friends!
Today in the European Parliament, I had to reach my pain threshold. Because that’s not how I talk, and that’s not how it should be in Parliament. But it had to be done.
What happened?
This morning, we began the first day of the session with the agenda item ‘Combating AI deepfakes and sexual exploitation on social media through the comprehensive use of EU digital regulations’. Together with my colleagues in the Greens/EFA group, we had pushed for this agenda item.
Because what is currently happening on Elon Musk’s platform X is even more extreme than one might expect. Elon Musk has had a function developed for X’s AI bot “Grok” that creates pornographic content from other people’s images, so-called sexualised deepfakes. And stripping down to a bikini is still the most harmless example. The depths are even deeper, including child abuse imagery (you can find examples in my speech below and here on LinkedIn).
To be perfectly clear: the feature Musk has developed for Grok is digital violence that has devastating consequences for those affected. Just imagine what happens when such images of yourself are then disseminated. And what it does: Grok literally encourages men to use this feature. This facilitates access to child abuse content, and it is to be expected that these men will then also seek out non-AI-generated content. It is truly despicable.
This Grok feature is clearly illegal under existing law. The fact that Musk, after considerable pressure, now only allows paying users to use the feature does not change this.
Although the EU Commission has now also launched an investigation, it appears that this has already been stopped by Ursula von der Leyen’s cabinet (press report).
What must happen immediately:
The EU Commission must launch this investigation immediately. Since the illegality is obvious and the damage is great, immediate action must be taken. Only by opening an investigation by the Commission will the way be opened for German courts to order the shutdown of X in Europe if these crimes continue.
What is needed quickly: Europe must promote European platforms!
I am calling for this, along with 50 other MPs, in a letter to Ursula von der Leyen. If the sexualised deepfakes of children and women are not enough, what is? At the same time, a European initiative on X is urgently needed, with the widest possible options for users to take their accounts and contacts with them when they leave X. Only then will many users switch. The alternatives Eurosky and Mastodon are a good start, but more support from the European Commission is needed here.
Don’t cave in to the US – follow HateAid’s example
One reason why the European Commission repeatedly caves in and does too little is the massive pressure from the US. But anyone who, in view of Trump’s behaviour around Greenland, still thinks that he and his people can be appeased by not taking a clear stance on the rules for platforms is living in a different world.
Trump understands only one language, if any: strength.
Today, Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg, the two founders of HateAid, were in the gallery during my speech. HateAid defends victims of hate speech and sexualised violence on the internet. For this, Trump has sanctioned them along with others. But they continue to fight.
The EU Commission, and above all Ursula von der Leyen and Digital Commissioner Virkunnen, should follow the example of these two courageous women.
Please share my video of the speech on LinkedIn so that more people can see it and the pressure becomes critical. This is what is needed now: Share my Speech on LinkedIn
With determined regards,
Yours, Alexandra Geese
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Read my speech here:
Put her on her back. spread her legs, put semen on her stomach.
These words are not fit to be pronounced in this chamber.
But these words are ruining the lives of women and children because Elon Musk built a tool that encourages men to do this on X.
Where is the investigation to condemn this abominable and illegal behaviour?
Yesterday the German press reported that the cabinet of the President stopped the Commission who had prepared that investigation that was ready to go..
Shame on you!
And it’s getting worse:
This morning the news broke of 17 more cases of AI-generated child abuse images generated by Grok that Grok doesn’t take down.
Doing nothing, you are aiding and abbetting child abuse.
It’s a dark moment.
Fortunately, my heroes are here with us today:
Josephine Ballon and Anna-Lena von Hodenberg from the German organisation HateAid are watching us today from the visitors gallery:
They defend the victims of deepfake porn and hateful speech – they are not afraid to speak out. They stand up to the tech bullies. That’s why they were sanctioned by president Trump.
May the Commission President be inspired by your courage!