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The X Factor: Grok deepfakes and why NZ is still using Elon Musk’s X

Source: Radio New Zealand

In this photo illustration an iPhone screen displays Elon Musk’s repost on his social media platform X regarding criticism from British Prime Minister Kier Starmer about his AI tool Grok, on 11 January 2026 in Bath, England. Elon Musk’s company xAI has been widely criticised following reports that its AI tool Grok has been used to make sexualised images of children and undress women. Anna Barclay / Getty Images

Explainer – Elon Musk’s X has been in the line of fire over Grok AI deepfakes – with Prime Minister Christopher Luxon’s office calling them “concerning.”

What’s going on? And is there any role New Zealand should play in how it uses X to disseminate information?

Recent non-consensual adult content created by X’s AI chatbot Grok has led some to call for a boycott of using X.

X announced on Thursday it would make changes to its AI chatbot after the UK joined many countries in planning to investigate the company.

However, the reputational damage X has been accumulating during Musk’s takeover of the company may be lasting.

It’s still a popular forum for many New Zealand politicians and public agencies to use, but some left-leaning political parties have mostly abandoned it. A human rights group has called for greater regulation of X in New Zealand, while the Free Speech Union is calling that censorship.

Here’s what’s got people concerned about X and Grok, and where New Zealand politicians stand on it.

What is Grok AI doing exactly?

Formerly Twitter, the social media platform X was bought by the world’s richest man Musk in 2022.

X launched its AI chatbot Grok in late 2023, and recently it came out that users could edit an image to create deepfake nude or partially clothed images.

At some points earlier in January, hundreds – perhaps thousands – of requests were coming in to change photos of women to put them in bikinis and other suggestive poses every hour, separate analyses by Bloomberg News, Reuters and The Guardian all found.

The company soon said it limited the image function to paid subscribers, although NBC News and others have reported that the standalone app and the Grok section of X is still able to generate the deepfake images.

Hundreds of examples of non-consensual Grok AI creations have since come out, and the chatbot has been blocked by Indonesia and Malaysia and under investigation in the UK.

The company now appears to be altering course after the backlash.

“I have been informed this morning that X is acting to ensure full compliance with UK law,” UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer told parliament today, adding that the government would take further measures if needed.

Musk posted on X today that Grok will always comply with the law of the countries in which it operates, and also said that he was “not aware” of any naked underage images created by Grok: “literally zero”.

“When asked to generate images, [Grok] will refuse to produce anything illegal, as the operating principle for Grok is to obey the laws of any given country or state,” he said.

Musk has not yet made further statements about how exactly Grok will be changed.

Elon Musk. AFP / BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI

New Zealand has been described as “lagging behind” on policing deepfake content and needs enforceable standards, an organisation working to prevent child sexual exploitation told RNZ earlier this week.

Auckland media commentator and journalist Russell Brown said the recent “undressing” posts on X crossed a line.

“It strikes me it’s only a couple of months ago that these ‘nudify’ apps were regarded as totally marginal and now it’s a front and centre service available from X’s flagship product, which is Grok.

“The fact that the company could entirely withdraw that part of the service and say, ‘no undressing app,’ and they’ve made it clear that they won’t do that, it really should raise some questions.”

ACT MP Laura McClure’s member’s bill to criminalise non-consensual sexually explicit deepfakes was pulled from the ballot last year and will be considered by Parliament in the future.

There have been calls to remove Grok from app stores, while Musk himself claimed it was the number one app in New Zealand in a recent post.

Are NZ politicians still using X?

World politicians often use X to make announcements and statements, and New Zealand is no different.

Prime Minister Christopher Luxon regularly communicates on X, as well as many other social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram and TikTok.

In a statement to RNZ on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s office said Luxon was aware of concerns about Grok.

“The use of Grok in this manner is concerning. We are actively monitoring developments.”

Many official agencies such as MetService, NZTA and NZ Defence Force still use X.

Labour Party leader Chris Hipkins does post on X, although the official Labour X account hasn’t posted since May 2025.

“Political parties and MPs use a range of social media platforms,” said Reuben Davidson, Labour’s spokesperson for media and digital economy.

“The Labour Party has chosen to prioritise channels where we can engage constructively with New Zealanders and reach the audiences we are focused on.”

The ACT party is also a frequent user of X, but in a statement posted Wednesday condemned deepfakes, while also saying regulating companies or the technology was a step too far.

“The harms are very real, and the problem is not limited to X,” the party’s official account posted on X. “New Zealand law should target the individuals who are engaging in abusive behaviour.”

“We should target abusers directly, rather than shutting down tools used legitimately for news or satire.”

NZ First leader Winston Peters is also a regular user of X, as is the party’s official account.

The Green Party’s official account hasn’t posted since 2024, while Te Pāti Māori last posted in June.

Many other politicians post announcements or statements regularly on X, including Wellington Mayor Andrew Little and Auckland Mayor Wayne Brown.

X-slash-Twitter has wielded a heavy influence on social media over the years, despite its relatively smaller user base than other social networks.

It’s difficult to find precise figures, but research by Meltwater/We Are Social for 2025 showed Twitter was only the 11th most used social platform, with just 23.8 percent of internet users on it, while DataReportal said it estimated 15.2 of eligible audience (those over 13) used it.

In InternetNZ’s 2024 Internet Insights report, X was among sites like Discord and Mastodon that it lumped in with the description “most New Zealanders have never used these social media platforms”. It found 73 percent of New Zealanders never used X.

“Most New Zealanders would agree that the creation and distribution of non-consensual or abusive AI-generated images is utterly unacceptable and raises serious questions about the responsibility of platforms to create a safe online environment,” Labour’s Davidson said.

He said he has proposed a member’s bill that would hold platforms more accountable for harmful content, although it has not been pulled from the ballot.

In addition to McClure’s deepfakes bill, Education Minister Erica Stanford has also promised regulatory changes over social media harm in response to calls for a minimum age of 16 to access social media similar to what Australia has recently instituted.

The Grok X AI chatbot is also available as a standalone app on phones. Jonathan Raa / NurPhoto via AFP

Has X gone too far?

Brown said that X has lost its usefulness to many people and that some New Zealand accounts have been leaving the platform.

“That’s the tragedy of it. The old Twitter had come to fill a kind of important niche for those kind of institutional accounts and it was a way to reach the public quickly with information. And now you’re asking the public to wade through a sewer to get there. It’s broken now.”

“I think the discussions are being had” about leaving X, he said. “I think there are public groups who are on X who are having the discussion, I think.”

Free speech and human rights groups are also staking out sides on whether to rein in X.

Rights Aotearoa put out an open letter to Justice Minister Paul Goldsmith calling for regulation of X, while the Free Speech Union blasted the rise of “censorship infrastructure.”

Rights Aotearoa said it was “deeply concerned” about X’s Grok tool.

“This represents a serious and immediate threat to human dignity, privacy, and safety,” its chief executive Paul Thistoll said. He said Grok’s image generation raised concerns about image-based sexual abuse, child safety and gendered and identity-based harm.

“The non-consensual creation and potential distribution of intimate imagery constitutes a form of sexual violence with severe psychological and reputational harm to victims.”

However, Free Speech Union chief executive Jillaine Heather condemned calls to block X by the UK and warned New Zealand against doing the same.

“Today it’s X for failing to police Grok. Tomorrow it’s any platform a government decides is insufficiently compliant. Australia already banned everyone under 16 from social media last month. Not from illegal content. From platforms entirely. Safety rhetoric, expanded control.

“Attempts to use child safety as a pretext to ban, restrict, or de-platform X would represent a serious breach of free expression and would be met with determined resistance. If the New Zealand government joins this international suppression effort, it will have a fight on its hands.

“Free speech is not a privilege granted by governments when it suits them,” Heather said. “It is a fundamental right and it will be defended.”

But Rights Aotearoa’s Thistoll said before today’s announcement that the government should act.

“The technology exists. The harm is occurring,” Thistoll said. “The government has both the power and the responsibility to act.”

Brown said what has happened to X is also part of a wider shift away from platforms like Facebook and broad concerns about “enshittification” of the internet and the polarisation of politics sweeping across all platforms.

“I think a lot of people are moving away from social media altogether, and exactly what solution they’ve found for keeping in touch with people I think varies from person to person.

“With what’s happened with Grok and these non-consensual undressing apps, I think we actually have reached the point where decisions need to be made.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Watch: Ministers mark start of new granny flats rules

Source: Radio New Zealand

The Housing, Building and Associate Finance Ministers have marked the start of new rules allowing easier building of small dwellings.

Chris Bishop, Chris Penk and Shane Jones visited a granny flat in Auckland’s Riverhead on Thursday.

They were there to talk up the changes as well as shifts in national direction linked to the government’s resource management reforms.

The new granny flat rules allow a small dwelling with a simple design of up to 70 square metres to be built without a resource consent, and are in effect from today.

Homeowners must notify their local council before building, and once it is completed, and work must be carried out or supervised by licensed builders.

Variations and exemptions must be taken into account.

Homeowners and builders should also check the new National Environmental Standards for Detached Minor Residential Units to ensure their plan met the standard.

Bishop said providing housing in New Zealand had been overly difficult and expensive for too long.

Jones said the changes would save up to $5650 on building a granny flat and speed up the process by about 14 weeks.

Penk said he was looking forward to the change boosting productivity in construction with as many as 13,000 additional granny flats expected over the next decade.

National direction

Alongside the granny flats changes, a total of 10 updated or new National Policy Statements (NPS) come into effect.

A further five National Environmental Standards and other national direction instruments are expected to be considered by Cabinet in coming months.

Bishop said it was “staggering” the country had not had an NPS for infrastructure until now.

“Making these changes now mean that New Zealanders can see some of the benefits from a more enabling, simpler planning system now, rather than waiting until our new planning system fully takes effect.”

He said the changes were extensively consulted on last year.

Updated NPSs cover renewable electricity generation and electricity networks, natural hazards, highly productive land, indigenous biodiversity, freshwater management, freshwater regulation, and coastal policy.

The latter would provide a “more flexible approach to the use of Land Use Capability Class 3 (LUC3) land.

However, Agriculture Minister Todd McClay said the government had decided to pause progress on a proposal to establish “Special Agricultural Areas”.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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‘He lost his spark for life’: Benjamin Timmins’ sister speaks out after Waitārere shooting

Source: Radio New Zealand

The scene of the shooting on Wednesday. RNZ/Mark Papalii

The sister of a man who died after a shooting in Waitārere Beach in Horowhenua says her brother is more than just his criminal history.

Rach O’Grady and Benjamin Harry Timmins in photos taken in 1986 and 2025. Facebook/ Rach O’Grady

A 46-year-old woman and two males aged 17 and 21 – remain critically wounded in Wellington Hospital on Thursday.

A young girl who was at the scene of the shooting on Wednesday is being cared for by family.

Police are not looking for anyone else.

Rach O’Grady has identified her older brother, Benjamin Harry Timmins, 60, as the deceased, calling him a “loved friend, father, and brother. Trickster, funny fella, all round solid gold”.

Speaking to RNZ on Thursday, she said she understood her brother’s body was being removed from the house on Thursday.

In life, she remembered him as funny, intelligent, a staunch protector and sometimes strict parent.

In his 20s he joined the Territorial Force – now known as the Army Reserve Force – “to keep people safe, to protect, to ensure that he had a purpose in his life”, she said.

In more recent years his work had been caring for his children and working on the farm on Waitārere Beach Road, which had cows, sheep and horses, and a cattery in which they bred Ragdolls.

“He was a carer,” O’Grady said.

Wednesday’s events did not reflect the brother she knew, she said, and had left the family asking, “What happened to him?”

Amid speculation online, she wanted to make clear he did not have gang affiliations, and she was worried his past brushes with the law on cannabis and firearms offences painted a picture of a different person to the man she knew.

This morning, RNZ reported police seized a dismantled a gun, parts and ammunition from the property a few hours before returning to find a Timmins dead and three others with gunshot wounds.

Police also this morning confirmed they responded to a family harm-related incident at the property last Friday. One person was arrested and charged with assault on a person in a family relationship and had been scheduled to appear in court on 14 January.

The most recent events at the house were a failing of the mental health system, O’Grady said.

Her brother had changed in the past few years, becoming “quiet, withdrawn. He lost his spark for life”.

“Men’s mental health should never be ignored, because when a man breaks, it’s not just the man who breaks, it’s his families, the family he comes from, the family he’s created. Men’s mental health has been so ignored.”

She had last seen her brother at the weekend, and had spoken to him on the phone that night. She said one of his last comments to her was: “Make sure my story gets out.”

The family still had questions about what exactly had happened, and she hoped the police investigation would bring those answers.

“Ben is not the person that he is going to be portrayed as. He is not his criminal history.”

Manawatū area commander Inspector Ross Grantham said the scene examination could extend into the weekend.

“We will continue to guard the scene and the public within the community can expect to see a more heavy police presence there than they normally would,” he said.

“It’s like most small communities in New Zealand, everybody knows everybody or somebody knows somebody and so it will have a very wide impact on that community and the community within the Horowhenua.”

Police were not seeking anyone else.

“Family harm is a very wide spectrum and if this is indeed family harm, then it is most certainly at the top end of that spectrum,” he said. “That is terribly, terribly sad.”

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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David Byrne has already given us one of the year’s best shows

Source: Radio New Zealand

It’s only the third week of January, but David Byrne’s dazzling performance at Auckland’s Spark Arena Wednesday night will go down as one of the concert highlights of the year.

The legendary frontman for Talking Heads made a triumphant return to Tāmaki Makaurau with his Who Is The Sky? tour, filling the arena with a constantly moving dynamic 12-piece backing band, a life-affirming blast of treasured pop songs and giving us all a much-needed hit of optimism.

If between wars, attacks and political chaos 2026 has perhaps already seemed like a bit of a bummer, David Byrne was here to make us feel the love again.

David Byrne is 73-years-old now, but you would never know it.

RNZ / Nik Dirga

– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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New Plymouth: The sunniest spot in New Zealand?

Source: Radio New Zealand

Fitzroy Beach is New Plymouth’s most popular swimming beach. RNZ / Robin Martin

New Plymouth has been crowned the sunniest spot in New Zealand.

With 2743 sunshine hours in 2025, Earth Sciences NZ found the Taranaki region basked in sunshine for 2743 hours in 2025, putting it ahead of Nelson (2672 hours), and Marlborough (2644 hours) in third place.

It’s the third time in the past five years it has won sunniest place in the country.

New Plymouth District Mayor Max Brough told Summer Times sunshine is good for you’re health, and the city has plenty of it.

“Everyone’s in a sunny mood in New Plymouth, every day, it’s a great place to live.”

New Plymouth District Mayor Max Brough. LDR /Te Korimako o Taranaki

Other draw cards were the region’s coastal walkway, mountain tracks and trails, he said.

Brough’s favourite thing to do in Taranaki is go fishing.

“We’ve probably one of the best kept secrets in the fishing world… It’s great to go fishing,” he said.

“You go fishing in the Hauraki Gulf and you’re lucky if you can get a fish that’s bigger than the palm of your hand. If you come down to Taranaki, they don’t start until about the length of your arm.”

Brough, who became mayor for the first time at the last elections, said he was “absolutely gobsmacked” at the number of new citizens getting sworn in to live in New Plymouth.

“People are coming from all around the world to live here,” he said.

The entrance to Te Papa-Kura-o-Taranaki. Supplied / New Plymouth District Council

On the other end of the spectrum, Dunedin was found to be the least sunniest.

As for the wettest location, according to rain gauges, it was Cropp River at the Waterfall on the West Coast, which recorded 10.951mm of rain.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Man arrested after allegedly spraying bus driver with fire extinguisher in Auckland

Source: Radio New Zealand

File photo. 123rf.com

A 32-year-old man has been arrested after a bus driver was allegedly sprayed with a fire extinguisher in Auckland earlier this week.

Police said a passenger travelling on the 27H bus along MT Eden Road became verbally aggressive with the driver about 6pm on Tuesday.

They claim he sprayed the driver with a fire extinguishing before leaving the bus.

Detective senior sergeant Anthony Darvill said the driver was uninjured but she was shaken up by the incident.

Officers arrested the man late last night, charging him with assault with a weapon and endangering transport.

He was expected to appear in Auckland District Court today.

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– Published by EveningReport.nz and AsiaPacificReport.nz, see: MIL OSI in partnership with Radio New Zealand

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Regional Tourism Boost: welcoming more visitors

Source: New Zealand Government

More international visitors will be exploring regional New Zealand this year, thanks to a $3.69 million investment from the second round of the Government’s Regional Tourism Boost, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston has announced.

“We want visitors to experience more of what New Zealand has to offer. Whether it’s cycling the Great Lake Trails in Taupō, tasting pinot noir in Waipara Valley, enjoying speciality cheese in Ōamaru or admiring Southland’s fiords, our visitors really can do it all,” Louise Upston says.

“We’re investing in five campaigns to help our regions shine, support local businesses, and encourage visitors to explore beyond the usual hotspots. By highlighting time-limited travel and accommodation deals, and regionally distinctive hospitality experiences, we’re making it easier for international travellers to enjoy New Zealand during the quieter autumn and early winter months.

“Tourism across the country stands to gain from these campaigns. They will encourage visitors to venture further, discover new places, and share the benefits across New Zealand. Tourism is a powerhouse for our economy, supporting jobs, businesses, and vibrant communities. This funding is about growth, building for the future and making sure all our regions benefit from international tourism.”

The latest round of the Regional Tourism Boost is supporting five new initiatives:

A $1.2 million national campaign will encourage visitors from the USA and Canada to discover all corners of New Zealand, coordinated by Tātaki Auckland Unlimited.
 
A $1 million campaign to attract Australians from the eastern seaboard to our alpine and coastal regions within the central South Island, led by ChristchurchNZ.
 
A $600,000 cycling initiative will encourage more Australian holidaymakers to experience New Zealand’s Great Rides, led by Destination Great Lake Taupō.
 
A $459,000 project will entice Australians from the Gold Coast to explore the lower South Island, delivered by Great South and seven associated Regional Tourism Organisations.
 
A $459,000 initiative will welcome Australians from Sydney and the Gold Coast to the heart of the North Island via direct flights to Hamilton Airport, led by Hamilton & Waikato Tourism.

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Australians invited to discover Canterbury and the West Coast

Source: New Zealand Government

Canterbury and the West Coast’s regional tourism organisations will receive  $1million to launch a new campaign Discover Different, showcasing the best of what Canterbury and the West Coast have to offer this autumn, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston has announced.

“This campaign builds on the success of this year’s ‘Winter Different’ initiative and now extends the invitation to Australians to experience everything the regions have to offer during the cooler months,” Louise Upston says.

“This investment is about celebrating what Kiwis already know: Canterbury and the West Coast are places of immense beauty – where you can enjoy the alpine vistas of Aoraki Mount Cook, whale watch in Kaikoura, enjoy a hot pool in Hanmer, discover Christchurch’s vibrant laneways, or experience the wild rainforests and rugged beaches of the West Coast.

“New Zealand’s food and drink scene is first class, and the West Coast and Canterbury is no different– think whitebait fritters, artisan cheeses, and a tasting flight from one of the region’s award-winning distilleries, craft breweries, or wineries. There’s a flavour to suit every palate.

“These campaigns will help local businesses thrive and show visitors what makes Canterbury and the West Coast truly special. It’s about backing your region and sharing the experiences you’re proud of.”

Discover Different is being delivered through a regional collaboration led by ChristchurchNZ, working alongside Destination Kaikōura, Visit Hurunui, Venture Timaru, Mackenzie Tourism, and Development West Coast. Together, these organisations are creating new travel deals, themed itineraries, and bookable packages to make it easier for visitors, particularly Australians to experience the best of the region.

“This is a great example of what we can achieve when we work together. Supporting local businesses, keeping our communities thriving, and showing visitors what makes Canterbury and the West Coast truly special – that’s what this campaign is all about,” Louise Upston says.

The campaign is one of five initiatives supported in the latest round of Regional Tourism Boost funding, which totals $3.69 million and aims to bring more international visitors to regional New Zealand during autumn and early winter 2026.

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More Australians to discover the Southern Way

Source: New Zealand Government

More Australians will soon be discovering the wonders of the lower South Island, with a fresh boost of Government funding for the Southern Way campaign, Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston announced today.

“We’re backing the South to shine,” Louise Upston says.

“With direct flights from the Gold Coast into both Dunedin and Queenstown, it’s never been easier for Australians to explore everything the lower South Island has to offer.

“This campaign is about sharing what makes the South truly special – Oamaru’s iconic cheese, Central Otago wines, wilderness walks in the West Coast and Dunedin’s vibrant arts scene. 

Even when it’s crisp outside, our southern hospitality is always warm. By working together, we’re showing the world there’s nowhere quite like the lower South, and we’re proud to welcome visitors to experience it for themselves,” Louise Upston says.

The Southern Way campaign will receive $459,250 from the second stage of the Regional Tourism Boost Fund (Round 2), to build on the momentum of the first campaign, which is helping to put the region’s unique experiences on the map for Australian visitors looking to travel outside of the peak season.

“This is a fantastic example of what can be achieved when our regions work together,” Louise Upston said.

“The Southern Way campaign brings together Great South, Tourism Waitaki, Enterprise Dunedin, Clutha Development, Tourism Central Otago, Destination Queenstown, and Lake Wanaka Tourism. By joining forces, these organisations are showcasing the very best of the South and delivering real benefits for local communities.”

Running from April to June 2026, the campaign will encourage visitors to take advantage of time-limited travel and accommodation deals, and to enjoy the South’s legendary hospitality. New themed itineraries and bookable packages will make it simple for travellers to experience the region’s best.

“This is about supporting local businesses, creating jobs, and sharing the benefits of tourism across the South,” Louise Upston says. 

“By working together, our regions can offer visitors something truly special, while boosting our economy and strengthening our communities.”

The Southern Way campaign is one of five initiatives supported in this second stage of funding, which totals $3.69 million and aims to bring more international visitors to regional New Zealand during autumn and early winter 2026.

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Waikato gears up for autumn tourism boost

Source: New Zealand Government

Tourism and Hospitality Minister Louise Upston has announced more than $450,000 in funding for a new international tourism campaign, helping boost the Waikato economy as autumn approaches.

The funding will support new seasonal travel deals and itineraries designed to attract international visitors, particularly from Australia, to experience the heart of the North Island during the cooler months via direct flights to Hamilton Airport.

“I’m excited visitors will be able to experience the best the Waikato region has to offer from the moment their flight touches down,” Louise Upston says.

“This campaign celebrates everything that makes this region unique. From cycling the Waikato River Trails and exploring the Hobbiton Movie Set, to marvelling at the glowworm caves of Waitomo or visiting the Len Lye centre in New Plymouth, there is something for every traveller. Autumn brings a vibrant new perspective to our landscapes, our farmers’ markets are in full swing, and our hospitality is always warm.”

Funded at $459,250, the One Flight campaign will be delivered through a regional collaboration led by Hamilton & Waikato Tourism, with Destination Great Lake Taupō, Visit Ruapehu, and Venture Taranaki. Together, these organisations are making it easier for visitors to explore the best of the central North Island, with new travel deals and themed itineraries designed for the autumn season.

“Seasonal deals and new itineraries will help support local businesses, create jobs, and share in the pride that locals feel for their home. This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase the spirit of the heart of the North Island,” Louise Upston says.

The One Flight campaign is one of five initiatives supported in the second stage of the Regional Tourism Boost (Round 2 ) which totals $3.69 million and aims to bring more international visitors to regional New Zealand during autumn and early winter 2026.