Louth County Council urged to abandon ‘X’ over Grok controversy as matter referred to policy group

By Olivia Ryan, The Drogheda Independent

Louth County Council has been asked to reconsider the use of social media platform ‘X’ following the controversy over AI tool, Grok.

Cllr. Marianne Butler appealed to the local authority to abandon the use of ‘X’ in the wake of disturbing images produced by the new application Grok.

"Are the council reviewing the use of the platform X in light of everything that has come out about it in the last couple of weeks?”

Grok and X has faced intense criticism in recent weeks over the ability of users to "nudify” images of people, particularly of women and children, who have been posted on the platform.

Cllr. Butler said she had made the decision to stop posting on it as “it was the right thing to do.”

"But I am very conscious that we have to balance the needs of the community as well, as there are people who are relying on information we (the council) post on X, especially in times of storms or different things happening in the county.”

She asked if the council were considering moving to the use of other platforms such as Bluesky and Threads, as it has only been around a year since it launched on Instagram and Facebook.

Cllr. Butler added that every year the council promotes ‘Louth in Bloom’ which does involve children from local primary and secondary schools.

"They get photographs taken with the Cathaoirleach, and children are used sometimes in the Safe Routes to School promotion.

”My children were involved in that, and I was so proud to them involved in it, but I suppose from here on in it is something we could definitely stop, and just keep it to purely those emergency notices and information we have to get out.”

The meeting heard that the issue has been referred to the council’s Corporate Policy Group (CPG).

But Cllr. Butler said that while this was being considered the council should stop posting pictures of children and young people.

Joanna Kelly, Director of Services, said: “It is something we take very seriously, when there is a child safeguarding issue, around photographs on particular platforms.”

She added: “We will monitor that, it is something we will take back to the CPG and discuss what our policies are. But we are very conscious before we post photographs, particularly of children, on any social media platform.”