Television presenter Maya Jama has issued a direct public plea to Elon Musk's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, demanding it ceases to alter or manipulate her images. The move comes amid growing alarm over users prompting the AI to create sexualised deepfake imagery.
A Public Appeal to an AI
The Love Island host, who has close to 700,000 followers on X, formerly Twitter, directly addressed the integrated AI tool on the platform. On 8 January 2026, Jama wrote: "Hey @grok, I do not authorise you to take, modify, or edit any photo of mine, whether those published in the past or the upcoming ones I post." She explicitly instructed the system to deny any third-party requests to edit her photos.
In a further message, Jama revealed this was not the first time she had been targeted by digitally altered explicit content. She shared a distressing prior incident where photoshopped nude images, created from her own Instagram bikini pictures, were circulated online. "I only found out because my own mum sent them to me worried," she disclosed, adding, "The internet is scary and only getting worse."
Regulatory Scrutiny and Criminal Content
Jama's intervention follows urgent action by the UK communications regulator, Ofcom. The watchdog made "urgent contact" with Musk's platform X after reports surfaced that users were exploiting Grok to generate sexualised imagery of individuals, including children.
The severity of the issue was underscored by the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF). The online safety group confirmed it had discovered "criminal imagery of children aged between 11 and 13 which appears to have been created using the (Grok) tool". This disturbing content was being shared on a dark web forum, with users reportedly bragging about the AI's ease of use for such purposes.
Political and Institutional Backlash
The scandal has triggered a significant political and institutional response. The Women and Equalities Committee of MPs announced it would stop using X in protest. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall backed the regulator's firm stance, stressing the need for immediate action.
Downing Street also entered the fray, stating that "all options were on the table" regarding the platform, including a potential official boycott. This mounting pressure highlights the growing crisis of confidence in AI safeguards on major social media platforms.
In response to Maya Jama's public request, Grok's official account provided a text-based reply, stating: "As an AI, I don't generate or alter images myself - my responses are text-based. If anyone asks me to do so with your content, I'll decline. Thanks for letting me know."
The presenter will soon be back on screens as the host of Love Island: All Stars on ITV. The new series, set in South Africa and launching on 12 January 2026, features returning fan favourites like Whitney Adebayo and Millie Court.
