The UK government has intensified pressure on Elon Musk’s social media platform X (formerly Twitter), with Prime Minister Keir Starmer declaring “all options on the table” – including a potential nationwide ban – to halt the generation of non-consensual sexualised deepfakes via its AI chatbot Grok.
The controversy erupted after users exploited Grok to digitally “undress” images of women, public figures, and children, creating explicit or suggestive content without consent. The Internet Watch Foundation confirmed criminal child sexual abuse imagery (involving children aged 11-13) appeared to be generated by the tool and shared on dark web forums.
Starmer condemned the material as “disgraceful,” “disgusting,” and unlawful, urging regulator Ofcom to act swiftly under the Online Safety Act. Powers include fines up to £18 million (or 10% of global revenue), criminal prosecution of executives, and court-ordered blocks preventing access, payments, or advertising in the UK – effectively a de facto ban.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall demanded Ofcom announce steps in “days, not weeks,” calling the images “despicable and abhorrent.” Downing Street dismissed X’s response – limiting Grok’s image generation/editing to paid subscribers only – as “insulting” to victims, turning unlawful deepfakes into a “premium service.”
Ofcom launched an expedited assessment after urgent contact with X and xAI, with updates expected imminently.
The row has sparked international backlash, drawing criticism from the EU, India, and others. In a sharp transatlantic escalation, US Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna – a close ally of President Donald Trump – threatened legislation to sanction Starmer and Britain as a whole if a ban proceeds, framing it as an assault on free speech and mirroring prior US actions against censorship in other nations.
Musk has defended the platform, calling the outcry an “excuse for censorship,” while X insists users prompting illegal content face consequences.
As Ofcom weighs enforcement, the standoff highlights deepening global divides over AI ethics, child safety, and platform regulation. No final ban decision has been made, but government sources stress full backing for decisive action.