Belfast City Council plans to suspend use of X over AI deepfake concerns

Belfast City Council appears set to suspend the use of social media site X (previously known as Twitter) following recent concerns over the AI ​​tool Grok.

The city’s Strategic Resources Committee decided Friday that he should “stop posting to the account and direct followers to the city’s other social media channels.” This decision will need to be approved at the next council meeting to be held on February 2nd.

Some authorities in Northern Ireland said they were “considering” subscribing to X.

The platform is being investigated by UK regulator Ofcom after widespread concerns that Grok was being used to create sexual deepfake images.

X later announced “technical measures” to prevent Grok from editing photos of real people to appear in revealing clothing in jurisdictions where it is illegal.

Seven of Stormont’s nine departments told BBC News NI they had X subscriptions. It said the subscriptions cost over £1,300 a year overall and offered enhanced features and security measures.

Economy Minister Caoimhe Archibald said it was “very concerning” that Grok had been used to create non-consensual and explicit images.

“We continue to monitor this situation and review our use of all social media platforms,” ​​she said in a statement.

The X subscription is held by her department and provides additional benefits such as “two-factor authentication” for security purposes and account analytics.

Stormont’s Health, Education and Infrastructure Department, which also has a subscription to Company X, said the use of all social media channels would remain “under consideration”.

The Department for Communities confirmed that Company X remains a member of Company X and said there were “no plans” to stop using the platform.

The Department of Justice and the Department of Agriculture said they did not subscribe to X.

In a separate statement, they said ministers had expressed concern about reports about Grok, adding that ministries’ use of social media remained “under review”.

We also requested comment from the government agencies and the Ministry of Finance, which previously announced that they had a subscription contract with Company X.

Belfast City Council’s Green Party leader Brian Smith said the proposal to suspend the use of X in councils was brought forward by him and Social Democratic Labor Party (SDLP) councilor Seamus de Faoito on Friday morning, citing concerns about Grok linked to sexual AI deepfakes.

“Parliament has a statutory duty under safeguards and I think we have a duty to act,” he said.

Mr Smith told BBC Radio Ulster’s Evening Extra programme: “The council will suspend its use but will not disable the account, because if the council disables the account there will be a risk.”

“The handle could be stolen and used by someone else to impersonate Belfast City Council.

“So, although it will need to be approved by the full council in early February, it will essentially mean that Belfast City Council will suspend the use of Twitter (now known as X) until we hear back from various government departments across the UK about what is going on.”

He said the vote was 15 votes to four, and that “the only party that voted against it was the DUP”.

The DUP confirmed councilors on its Strategic Policy and Resources Committee opposed the move.

The party said this was because it would “reduce opportunities for councils to engage with residents” and “force councils to take action on one platform when there are broader issues across all AI and social media platforms”.

The move at Belfast City Council was welcomed by SDLP councilor Carla Hunter, who quit X earlier this month over concerns about Grok.

Hunter, who was the target of a deepfake video four years ago, called the council’s proposal a “great step forward.”

Earlier this month, X announced changes to its AI tool Grok.

“We have taken technical steps to prevent Grok accounts from editing images of real people in revealing clothing,” X’s announcement reads.

Only paid users can use Grok to edit images on the platform.

“We are currently geo-blocking the ability of all users to generate images of real people in bikinis, underwear, and similar attire through Grok accounts and Grok in X in jurisdictions where it is illegal,” X said in a statement.