Three U.S. Democratic senators are calling on Apple and Google to immediately suspend Elon Musk's X social media platform and Grok AI app from their app stores, citing the tools' failure to curb the creation and spread of nonconsensual explicit content and child sexual abuse material.

In a Friday open letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook and Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Senators Ron Wyden (Oregon), Ed Markey (Massachusetts) and Ben Ray Luján (New Mexico) demanded the app store operators pull X and Grok until Musk, whose xAI owns both platforms, addresses what they described as "disturbing and likely illegal activities."

"Allowing these apps to remain available would make a mockery of your content moderation standards," the senators wrote. They added that inaction would "undermine your public and legal claims that app stores provide a safer alternative to direct app downloads."

Recent reports highlight that X and Grok's AI image generator and chatbot tools enable users to easily create and share sexually explicit deepfake content of individuals who did not consent to having their likeness exploited. The platforms have also been used to produce racially denigrating material.

A high-profile example cited by The Times of London involved a descendant of Holocaust survivors, who was digitally manipulated into a sexually suggestive image set outside the Auschwitz concentration camp via a Grok prompt.

The controversy has triggered regulatory scrutiny across Europe, Malaysia, Australia and India. Notably, however, U.S. agencies, including the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice, have not yet confirmed whether they will launch investigations into xAI.

In a January 3 statement, Musk and X claimed that users creating illegal content via Grok would face the same consequences as those uploading such material directly. But critics argue the policy has not been enforced effectively.

Apple and Google both maintain strict app store guidelines barring content depicting child sexual abuse and nonconsensual explicit material. Previous violations have led to suspensions for platforms like Tumblr and Telegram.

In a recent move, X restricted Grok's AI image generation features to paying subscribers on Friday. However, the standalone Grok app and website still permit users to generate nonconsensual sexualized or degrading content without obtaining prior permission to use individuals' images or footage.

CNN reported that Musk personally pushed for Grok's feature updates, overruling concerns about insufficient safety safeguards. Three members of xAI's safety team subsequently announced their resignation on X.

The backlash has coincided with a major funding win for xAI, which this week secured $20 billion in a new round led by investors including Nvidia, Cisco Investments, Valor Equity Partners, Stepstone Group, Fidelity, Qatar Investment Authority, Abu Dhabi’s MGX and Baron Capital Group.

xAI provided an automated reply to CNBC's request for comment. Apple and Google have not yet responded to inquiries about the senators' demands.

(Cover via VCG)