Irish police are investigating 200 reports of child sexual abuse material on the social media platform X, including content generated by the artificial intelligence tool Grok. The scale of the investigations was revealed at an Oireachtas Media Committee hearing on Wednesday.
Detective Chief Superintendent Barry Walsh from the Garda National Cyber Crime Bureau told the hearing that hundreds of investigations into content on X are currently open. He said: «As of this morning, there are 200 reports that are being investigated involving content that is child sexual abuse material, or child sexual abuse indicative material.»
The investigations focus on both traditional CSAM and AI-generated content. Walsh explained the investigative process: «The investigation process takes some time, the content has to be assessed to make sure it's criminal, and thereafter the people responsible have to be identified, if that's possible, and the investigative action stems from there.»
AI-Generated Images Under "Coco's Law"
Detective Superintendent Michael Mullen clarified that AI-generated sexualized images fall under "Coco's Law" protections. He told the committee: «It makes no difference. If it's AI-generated, under Coco's law it is still a criminal offence – as simple as that. It would be investigated as if it were a real image. So AI is treated exactly the same as a real image.»
Nearly 900 contacts with gardai last year related to "Coco's Law". The National Centre for Missing & Exploited Children referred 13,300 cases to Irish police in 2024, with roughly 25,000 referrals expected in 2025.
Senator Recounts Personal Experience
Fianna Fail senator Alison Comyn recalled a past incident where her face was placed on pornographic images and sent to her employer, the BBC. She described it as «deeply upsetting and violating», noting that police at the time considered it «quite funny».
Comyn raised concerns about AI's capabilities for widespread harm: «That's another issue – but at least it wasn't seen by millions. Now we have a legitimate business – a high profile platform – who can legally offer this service, and it is disseminated to millions globally, and we're looking at it being created in seconds and sent out at the touch of a button. We know that it's children and vulnerable people who are at risk here. We have to stop that in its tracks.»
Call for AI Provider Action
Walsh called for a robust response from AI service providers to prevent manipulation of their models for creating unlawful and harmful content. He emphasized the need for platforms to ensure material is appropriate and accurate.
In a written submission to the committee, Walsh encouraged victims to contact their local Garda station for specialist help. Victims of intimate image abuse can also report online via Hotline.ie.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
