On May 5th, 2026, the European Parliament’s Committee on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality (FEMM) convened a high-level public hearing to address the alarming rise of AI-facilitated gender-based violence (GBV). The session, titled “AI, gender-based violence including sexual images of women and children: the case of Grok”, focused on the systemic failure of platforms to prevent the generation of non-consensual deepfake pornography and the urgent need for a “Digital Omnibus” to close existing legal loopholes.
Event Highlights
- Enforcement over Regulation: Lawmakers emphasised that while the legal framework (AI Act, DSA) is robust, the current crisis is a failure of enforcement and political will.
- The “Nudifier” Ban: A consensus emerged on the urgent need for a total EU-wide ban on “nudifier” apps that manipulate images to create non-consensual pornography.
- Systemic Harm: Expert contributions revealed that 99% of deepfake targets are women, with 24 million victims reported in 2023 alone.
- Minor-on-Minor Violence: Schools are becoming flashpoints where students use AI to create sexualised images of classmates, involving both the target and the underage creator.
- Corporate Accountability: Members questioned whether the current 6% global revenue fines under the DSA constitute a sufficient deterrent against “profit-by-design” business models.
The Frontlines of Online Safety
Lina Gálvez Muñoz (Chair) opened the hearing by noting that on 26 January 2026, the Commission launched a formal investigation into Grok and X. She described the EP resolution on cyberbullying as an essential safeguard but warned that we must remain brave and united.
Suvi Uski (CEO, SomeBuddy) detailed the psychological devastation of “sextortion” and deepfakes. Using the case of Jenna, a teenage girl, she illustrated the profound psychological distress that follows such abuse that may include feelings of humiliation, anxiety, and depression. Uski noted that 71% of children do not disclose these incidents to adults and argued that platforms have “hacked our psychology” by choosing profit over available moderation tools.
Seyi Akiwowo (Founder, Glitch) categorised the crisis as “unstructured harm” where institutions respond too slowly. She pointed out that creating Grok was an “intentional decision by design” motivated by profit. Akiwowo called for a “public health” approach to infrastructure that identifies and classifies harm early to prevent it from becoming institutionalised. Furthermore, she emphasised that the current institutional lag creates a “visibility trap” where increased online presence for women and leaders triggers clustered, non-random attacks. Akiwowo also argued that harm is foreseeable, the failure to activate a “duty of care” represents a governance crisis. Akiwowo insisted the EU must move beyond mere awareness, building a proactive infrastructure that treats digital safety as a fundamental public health priority.
David Reichel (Fundamental Rights Agency) presented data showing GBV as a structural problem exacerbated by algorithmic bias. Drawing on FRA reports, he highlighted the staggering scale of violence in cyberspace, noting that even small percentages represent millions of individual lives shattered. He also warned of the racial and gender bias embedded in Large Language Models (LLMs) and the difficulty coders face in moderating hate speech. The speaker also addressed the evidentiary barrier in tech regulation, explaining that while harm may be socially obvious, it remains difficult to legally “prove” because platforms often block investigators from researching systemic risks. He acknowledged that until providers are forced to allow audits, the burden of proof remains an obstacle for victims.
The hearing also featured a brief video message from Brando Benifei (S&D, Co-Rapporteur of the AI Act) who warned that deepfakes have “industrialised misogyny”. Addressing the Grok scandal specifically, Benifei condemned the production of content that sexualises women and children. He emphasised that X remains liable under EU law and is strictly required to conduct risk assessments and ensure mitigation. He further stressed that the current priority is not necessarily new laws, but rather the enforcement of existing rules, asserting that the Commission has a duty to act but requires the “capacity, the resources, and above all the political will” to do so effectively.
The Future of Democracy and Corporate Accountability
A group of MEPs delivered particularly sharp warnings regarding the erosion of fundamental rights and the urgent need for platform responsibility. Arba Kokalari (EPP, Rapporteur for the Internal Market Committee on the Digital Omnibus on AI) provided a chilling baseline for the scale of the crisis, noting that Grok published 4.4 million images in just nine days. Further explaining that while technology itself should not be banned, the current “wild west” atmosphere must be ended through rigorous enforcement of the existing framework.
This sentiment was echoed by Abir Al-Sahlani (Renew), who described such tools as the “industrialisation of abuse”, noting that AI-driven harm is now faster, wider, and targets identifiable people. Characterising it as a systematic violation of democracy designed to intimidate women into silence declaring: “A democracy without women is not a democracy”. Highlighting the personal toll on public figures and families, stating that “Visibility comes with a cost, but the cost cannot be my body nor my daughter’s body”.
The discussion then turned to the structural and economic incentives that allow such abuse to flourish. Birgit Sippel (S&D) argued that the current business model makes “every click a profit” from abuse, suggesting the EU consider barring non-compliant platforms from the market entirely. However, Michael McNamara (Renew, Rapporteur for the Civil Liberties Committee on the Digital Omnibus on AI) voiced skepticism regarding legislative “gaps” that still allow corporations to monetise this abuse, questioning whether the current wording of the proposed “nudifier” ban is truly enforceable or merely a hollow gesture.
Finally, Helene Fritzon (S&D) slammed platforms for their total lack of effort in protection, calling for the immediate implementation of strict age limits alongside a total ban on nudifier apps to safeguard the next generation.
Conclusion
Lawmakers and experts alike agreed that while the AI Act and Digital Services Act provide a world-leading framework, their effectiveness hinges entirely on rigorous, rapid enforcement and the dismantling of profit models that monetise non-consensual sexual imagery.
As the European Commission continues its investigation into Grok and X, the message from the European Parliament remains clear: The digital space must no longer be a safe haven for gender-based violence, and the cost of technological progress cannot be the safety, dignity, and democratic participation of women and children.
