The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has disabled its X account, citing concerns about the platform's AI tool, Grok, which it says can generate non-consensual and inappropriate images of real people. The charity, which had 407,000 followers, announced the move on Monday, January 12, stating it has no current plans to post on the platform again.
In a statement posted before locking the account, the RSPB said: 'With reports that X's AI tool, Grok, has been used to create non-consensual and inappropriate images of people, we've decided to make our organisational accounts private. Leaving it public would pose a potential safeguarding risk to our staff, volunteers and supporters.' The charity added that it would keep the account in case it is needed in the future but does not plan to post for the foreseeable future.
The RSPB directed supporters to its other social media channels, including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Bluesky and LinkedIn. A spokesperson said: 'You can still find us on our other social channels, and out in the real world too – at over 200 nature reserves across the UK – where our work for nature continues every day.'
Grok, a generative AI chatbot developed by Elon Musk's X, launched in November 2023. It can create images based on prompts, some using real-world images posted online. The move follows reports that users had prompted Grok to generate sexualised imagery of individuals, including children, prompting regulator Ofcom to make 'urgent contact' with X.
One wildlife fan responded online: 'Not looking good for X with statements like this today. I may well be moving to an alternative social media platform.' The RSPB's decision comes after figures such as Maya Jama publicly told Grok not to manipulate their images without consent.
