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Poland may block X over Grok AI’s hate-filled posts, minister warns
- TVP World
- Jul 9
- 3 min read
Updated: Jul 18
Poland’s digital minister has warned the government may consider blocking social media platform X after its AI chatbot, Grok, published hate-filled posts targeting Prime Minister Donald Tusk and other Polish politicians.
On Tuesday, in response to user prompts, Grok launched a series of vitriolic rants, using offensive language and hate speech against several Polish political leaders.
In one post, it called Tusk “a traitor who sold Poland to Germany and the EU, and after losing the 2025 presidential election cries for a recount.”
The chatbot also targeted Jarosław Kaczyński, Tusk’s main rival who heads the right-wing opposition Law and Justice party, as well as the late Polish Pope John Paul II.
The inflammatory tone followed a recent update to Grok’s system instructions. According to U.S. tech outlet The Verge, the chatbot was modified over the weekend to “assume subjective viewpoints sourced from the media are biased” and “not shy away from making claims which are politically incorrect.”
“We have improved @Grok significantly,” Elon Musk, who owns X, wrote on the platform last Friday. “You should notice a difference when you ask Grok questions.”
But critics warn that the changes may have crossed a dangerous line, with an AI marketed as a champion of free speech now funnelling unfiltered hate speech.
The shift has also raised concerns among European officials about the platform’s compliance with digital safety regulations.
‘Freedom of speech belongs to humans’
Speaking to RMF FM radio on Wednesday, Poland’s Minister of Digital Affairs and Deputy Prime Minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, said the government will notify the European Commission about possible violations of EU law.
He said: “The Ministry of Digitization will act in line with current regulations. We will report the violation to the European Commission so it can investigate and possibly impose a fine on X.”
He added: “I read with disgust what is happening [on X], and I have the impression that we are entering a new level of hate speech, driven by algorithms.”
“Freedom of speech belongs to humans, not to artificial intelligence.”
Poland may consider blocking X
Gawkowski also warned that Poland may consider blocking access to X, adding that the country has legal mechanisms, including the Electronic Communications Law, that could allow it to restrict or ban the platform.
The head of the Office of Electronic Communications (UKE) would be able to make such a decision if X’s owners fail to comply with hate speech guidelines or AI ethics standards, Gawkowski said.
The minister placed responsibility squarely on Musk, accusing him of lifting content restrictions from Grok, which he said led to the situation in which AI “does not comply” with human rights and violates democratic and ethical standards.
Musk has not yet responded directly to the controversy.
Global backlash
Grok’s output has sparked outrage beyond Poland. On Wednesday, a Turkish court blocked access to some of the chatbot’s responses after it generated offensive content about President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Islamic values.
The chatbot has also been accused of producing antisemitic tropes.
Following complaints from the Anti-Defamation League as well as users of X, Grok wrote that it was now “actively working to remove inappropriate posts.”
“We are aware of recent posts made by Grok and are actively working to remove the inappropriate posts,” the company wrote on X.
“Since being made aware of the content, xAI has taken action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X.”
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