Policyband

Policyband

D.C. Memo: Apple, Google Pressured to Ban Musk’s X, Grok Apps over AI-Generate Sexual Content

Senate Democrats Luján, Wyden, and Markey demand action in response to 'the most heinous type of content imaginable' – sexualized images of women and children

Ted Hearn's avatar
Ted Hearn
Jan 12, 2026
∙ Paid

Headlines

▪️AAF: Trump Saved $130 Billion by Slashing Red Tape in 2025

▪️Oxenford: FCC Ownership Rules Biggest Issue Facing TV Stations

▪️altafiber Asks Full FCC to Review Nexstar’s Retrans Win

▪️AEI Editors Urge Annual Funding of Reformed USF

▪️GCI Says Subsea Fiber Cut in the Aleutians Fixed

▪️U.K. Regulator: Mobile, Wi-Fi Might Share Upper 6 GHz Band

▪️Fiber: STELLAR Broadband, Grain’s 123NET Announce Michigan Fiber Build

▪️Supreme Court Takes Case on FCC Process Used to Issue Fines

▪️David Smith Promoted to Chief Operating Officer at Lumos

▪️Burlington Telecom Names Mike Callahan as President and GM


Musk: Democratic Sens. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico, Ron Wyden of Oregon, and Edward Markey of Massachusetts pressed Apple and Google to remove the X and Grok apps from their app stores, citing reports that the Grok artificial intelligence tool had been used in recent days to generate nonconsensual sexualized images of women and children – in the lawmakers’ words, “the most heinous type of content imaginable.” In their Jan. 9 letter to the CEOs of Apple and Google, the Democrats said, “Apple and Google must remove these apps from the app stores until X’s policy violations are addressed.” The lawmakers claimed Apple’s and Google’s terms of service require action against Elon Musk’s apps. “Turning a blind eye to X’s egregious behavior would make a mockery of your moderation practices,” they said. “Indeed, not taking action would undermine your claims in public and in court that your app stores offer a safer user experience than letting users download apps directly to their phones.” They sought a response by Jan. 23, 2026. (More after paywall.)

From Left: U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer (Labour), Elon Musk, and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (Labor)

This post is for paid subscribers

Already a paid subscriber? Sign in
© 2026 Ted Hearn · Publisher Terms
Substack · Privacy ∙ Terms ∙ Collection notice
Start your SubstackGet the app
Substack is the home for great culture