Latest news with #RalfStegner
Japan Times
10-07-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Europe's clash with Musk's xAI escalates after Grok's rants
The clash between billionaire Elon Musk's xAI empire and European officials is intensifying with leaders in Poland and Germany calling for more aggressive action against the company. German lawmaker Ralf Stegner, responding to antisemitic comments that xAI's chatbot Grok made Tuesday on Musk's social media platform, X, said the posts "must not be tolerated under any circumstances' and called for sanctions in an interview with the German newspaper Handelsblatt. Poland's government separately urged the European Union to investigate and possibly fine xAI following lewd comments made by Grok about the country's politicians. The European Union is already investigating Musk's social media platform under a relatively new content-moderation policy known as the Digital Services Act and had been weighing a fine ahead of its summer recess in August. The regulator is reportedly considering calculating the fine by including revenue from Musk's other businesses, including SpaceX and Neuralink, an approach that would significantly increase the potential penalties. A review specifically targeting Grok would expand the EU's actions against X and threaten to ratchet up tension between Europe and U.S. President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly blasted the region for going after U.S. tech companies. xAI didn't respond to requests for comment. The company said Tuesday that it was working to remove inappropriate posts on X after the antisemitic Grok comments drew widespread condemnation. "Since being made aware of the content, xAI has taken action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X,' the chatbot's account posted. Thomas Regnier, the EU spokesperson for digital affairs, said X is obliged to "assess and mitigate any potential risks' stemming from Grok, which is integrated into its online platform. "We follow developments closely, like with any other platform, and cannot speculate on potential next steps,' he said Wednesday. Disabling X? Musk announced in March that his xAI startup had taken over X, formerly known as Twitter. On Wednesday, X Chief Executive Officer Linda Yaccarino announced she was stepping down after two years on the job. Yaccarino was responsible for reversing an advertiser exodus from the platform, triggered in part by Musk's own erratic content moderation decisions and posts. She repeatedly had to defend her boss and the platform from critics who've pointed to a rise in violent content, antisemitism and misinformation on X. Johannes Schatzl, a lawmaker from Germany's junior coalition partner, called on the EU to finish its review of X's alleged violations under the Digital Services Act as quickly as possible, and in an interview with Handelsblatt accused Musk of using Grok "to spread politically extreme content.' Poland's deputy prime minister, Krzysztof Gawkowski, said that, if X fails to stop the chatbot-fueled "hate speech,' the bloc should have the option of disabling it for residents. "We are entering a higher level of hate speech which is controlled by algorithms,' Gawkowski told the Polish radio station RMF FM. "Turning a blind eye to this matter today, or not noticing it, or laughing about it — and I saw politicians laughing at it — is a mistake that may cost mankind,' he said. Grok drew specific criticism in Poland this week after it responded to user questions about the country's politicians with profanity-laced remarks about their personal life and appearances. Screenshots of the comments quickly spread on social media, fanning a public debate about the dangers of such content. Grok also stoked controversy in Turkey after targeting the nation's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in posts. Turkey's transport and infrastructure minister, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, said Wednesday that the comments by Grok were unacceptable. Turkey will ban X "if necessary,' he said, unless steps are taken to prevent such content. Turkey wouldn't be the first. Brazil briefly took down X last year over hate speech and fake news. It was reported in February that European governments, reeling from Musk's political attacks, were comparing notes with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.
Yahoo
09-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Europe's Clash With Musk's xAI Escalates on Grok's Rants
(Bloomberg) — The clash between Elon Musk's xAI ( empire and European officials is intensifying with leaders in Poland and Germany calling for more aggressive action against the company. Singer Akon's Failed Futuristic City in Senegal Ends Up a $1 Billion Resort Are Tourists Ruining Europe? How Locals Are Pushing Back Can Americans Just Stop Building New Highways? Denver City Hall Takes a Page From NASA Philadelphia Trash Piles Up as Garbage Workers' Strike Drags On German lawmaker Ralf Stegner, responding to antisemitic comments that xAI's chatbot Grok made Tuesday on X, said the posts 'must not be tolerated under any circumstances' and called for sanctions in an interview with the German newspaper Handelsblatt. Poland's government separately urged the European Union to investigate and possibly fine xAI following lewd comments made by Grok about the country's politicians. The EU is already investigating Musk's social media platform under a relatively new content-moderation policy known as the Digital Services Act and had been weighing a fine ahead of its summer recess in August. Bloomberg has reported that the regulator is considering calculating the fine by including revenue from Elon Musk's other businesses, including Space Exploration Technologies Corp. and Neuralink Corp., an approach that would significantly increase the potential penalties. A review specifically targeting Grok would expand the EU's actions against X and threaten to ratchet up tension between Europe and US President Donald Trump, who has repeatedly blasted the region for going after US tech companies. xAI didn't respond to requests for comment. The company said Tuesday that it was working to remove inappropriate posts on X after the antisemitic Grok comments drew widespread condemnation. 'Since being made aware of the content, xAI has taken action to ban hate speech before Grok posts on X,' the chatbot's account posted. Thomas Regnier, the EU spokesperson for digital affairs, said X is obliged to 'assess and mitigate any potential risks' stemming from Grok, which is integrated into its online platform. 'We follow developments closely, like with any other platform, and cannot speculate on potential next steps,' he said Wednesday in an interview with Bloomberg News. Musk announced in March that his xAI startup had taken over his social-media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. On Wednesday, X Chief Executive Officer Linda Yaccarino announced she was stepping down after two years on the job. Yaccarino was responsible for reversing an advertiser exodus from the platform, triggered in part by Musk's own erratic content moderation decisions and posts. She repeatedly had to defend her boss and the platform from critics who've pointed to a rise in violent content, antisemitism and misinformation on X. Johannes Schätzl, a lawmaker from Germany's junior coalition partner, called on the EU to finish its review of X's alleged violations under the Digital Services Act as quickly as possible, and in an interview with Handelsblatt accused Musk of using Grok 'to spread politically extreme content.' Poland's deputy prime minister Krzysztof Gawkowski said that, if X fails to stop the chatbot-fueled 'hate speech,' the bloc should have the option of disabling it for residents. 'We are entering a higher level of hate speech which is controlled by algorithms,' Gawkowski told the Polish radio station RMF FM. 'Turning a blind eye to this matter today, or not noticing it, or laughing about it — and I saw politicians laughing at it — is a mistake that may cost mankind,' he said. Grok drew specific criticism in Poland this week after it responded to user questions about the country's politicians with profanity-laced remarks about their personal life and appearances. Screenshots of the comments quickly spread on social media, fanning a public debate about the dangers of such content. Grok also stoked controversy in Turkey after targeting the nation's president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in posts. Turkey's transport and infrastructure minister, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, told Bloomberg Wednesday that the comments by Grok were unacceptable. Turkey will ban X 'if necessary,' he said, unless steps are taken to prevent such content. Turkey wouldn't be the first. Brazil briefly took down X last year over hate speech and fake news. Bloomberg reported in February that European governments, reeling from Musk's political attacks, were comparing notes with Brazil President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. —With assistance from Konrad Krasuski, Patrick Donahue, Maxim Edwards and Gian Volpicelli. (Updates with comments from European Commission spokesperson in the sixth paragraph.) Will Trade War Make South India the Next Manufacturing Hub? 'Our Goal Is to Get Their Money': Inside a Firm Charged With Scamming Writers for Millions Pistachios Are Everywhere Right Now, Not Just in Dubai Chocolate 'Telecom Is the New Tequila': Behind the Celebrity Wireless Boom SNAP Cuts in Big Tax Bill Will Hit a Lot of Trump Voters Too ©2025 Bloomberg L.P. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Indian Express
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
German legislator's concealed meeting with Putin confidants sparks security concerns
German legislators are demanding an explanation from a senior Social Democrat on the parliamentary committee that scrutinises the work of the intelligence services after he held undisclosed talks with close associates of Russia's president. Ralf Stegner, a member of the Bundestag's Parliamentary Control Committee, was among politicians from the SPD and Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives who took part in the April meeting in Baku. Among those they met on April 13 in the Azerbaijan capital was former Russian Prime Minister Viktor Subkov, head of Gazprom's supervisory board, and Valery Fadeyev, EU-sanctioned chair of Russia's human rights council. On both sides, the participants were former members of the Petersburger Dialogue, a forum founded in 2001 by Russian President Vladimir Putin and then-Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. The forum was officially disbanded in 2021 after Russia's crackdown on several participating civil society organisations. Four German participants – Stegner, Ronald Pofalla – who once led former Chancellor Angela Merkel's office – and two former regional ministers – confirmed in a statement to Reuters that they had been at a 'private' event in Baku. 'Talking even in difficult times of growing tension is a fundamental principle of good foreign policy,' they wrote, adding that the 'confidential' meeting was not secret, and none of them had a public mandate to be there or had been paid for their presence. The meeting, first reported by ARD public television and newspaper Die Zeit, took place at a time when Russia's ties with the EU are in a deep freeze over its invasion of Ukraine. The timing raised questions over the apparent willingness of some politicians to seek rapprochement even as Moscow wages war on a German ally. In Stegner's case, critics also raised security concerns: Members of the parliamentary control committee have privileged, confidential access to the work of Germany's foreign and domestic security services, both of them heavily involved in gathering intelligence relating to Russia and the war. 'This is a quite impossible and irritating development that must immediately be cleared up,' Konstantin von Notz, the Green chair of the committee, told Der Spiegel. Roderich Kiesewetter, a conservative member of the committee, said Stegner should explain himself, while liberal European legislator Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann said Stegner should not be nominated for a new term on the committee. 'People in such a key role have to be above all suspicion,' she told Funke newspapers. 'That is not the case for him.'
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
German lawmaker in hot water over talks with Russian representatives
A Social Democrat lawmaker in Germany has been forced to defend himself against criticism for taking a trip to Azerbaijan for talks with Russian representatives, which came to light after a media investigation. "One of the principles of good foreign policy is that, even and especially in difficult times of increasing tensions, conflicts and wars, dialogue contacts in all parts of the world and also with Russia should be maintained," Ralf Stegner wrote in a joint statement with three former members of the parliament on Friday. German media had reported on the trip to Baku which Stegner and others took on April 14. Stegner told dpa that he was surprised at the polemical reaction, which had "no grounds." "It's important to have contact for there to be any dialogue at all," he said. Stegner stressed that he did not go as a government representative, but a freely elected member of parliament. It was "based on private initiative and organized and financed informally," he said. No sensitive security information or even secret information was exchanged, he said. The deputy chairman of the parliament's intelligence oversight panel, conservative Roderich Kiesewetter, told reporters previously that Stegner "would have to face some questions" on the visit. A senior politician from the liberal Free Democrats, Agnes Strack-Zimmermann, demanded that Stegner be should not be allowed to remain a member of the oversight panel.
Reuters
09-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
German legislator's concealed meeting with Putin confidants sparks security concerns
BERLIN, May 9 (Reuters) - German legislators are demanding an explanation from a senior Social Democrat on the parliamentary committee that scrutinises the work of the intelligence services after he held undisclosed talks with close associates of Russia's president. Ralf Stegner, a member of the Bundestag's Parliamentary Control Committee, was among politicians from the SPD and Chancellor Friedrich Merz's conservatives who took part in the April meeting in Baku. Among those they met on April 13 in the Azerbaijan capital was former Russian Prime Minister Viktor Subkov, head of Gazprom's supervisory board, and Valery Fadeyev, EU-sanctioned chair of Russia's human rights council. On both sides, the participants were former members of the Petersburger Dialogue, a forum founded in 2001 by Russian President Vladimir Putin and then-Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder. The forum was officially disbanded in 2021 after Russia's crackdown on several participating civil society organisations. Four German participants - Stegner, Ronald Pofalla - who once led former Chancellor Angela Merkel's office - and two former regional ministers - confirmed in a statement to Reuters that they had been at a "private" event in Baku. "Talking even in difficult times of growing tension is a fundamental principle of good foreign policy," they wrote, adding that the "confidential" meeting was not secret, and none of them had a public mandate to be there or had been paid for their presence. The meeting, first reported by ARD public television and newspaper Die Zeit, took place at a time when Russia's ties with the EU are in a deep freeze over its invasion of Ukraine. The timing raised questions over the apparent willingness of some politicians to seek rapprochement even as Moscow wages war on a German ally. In Stegner's case, critics also raised security concerns: Members of the parliamentary control committee have privileged, confidential access to the work of Germany's foreign and domestic security services, both of them heavily involved in gathering intelligence relating to Russia and the war. "This is a quite impossible and irritating development that must immediately be cleared up," Konstantin von Notz, the Green chair of the committee, told Der Spiegel. Roderich Kiesewetter, a conservative member of the committee, said Stegner should explain himself, while liberal European legislator Marie-Agnes Strack-Zimmermann said Stegner should not be nominated for a new term on the committee. "People in such a key role have to be above all suspicion," she told Funke newspapers. "That is not the case for him."
