Elon Musk has launched a fierce defence of his social media platform X, accusing the UK government of seeking "any excuse for censorship." This comes amid an escalating international row over deepfake sexual images generated by the site's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok.
Global Backlash and Government Intervention
The controversy intensified earlier this week after Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stated that X needed to "get a grip of" Grok. He confirmed he had asked the media regulator, Ofcom, to ensure "all options are on the table" regarding the AI tool.
This pressure follows a damning report from the Internet Watch Foundation, which revealed criminals had been using Grok to create child sexual abuse imagery. Governments and regulators across Europe and Asia have opened inquiries, with a particular focus on the non-consensual manipulation of photographs of real women.
On Saturday 10 January 2026, Indonesia became the first country to block access to Grok temporarily. The nation's communications minister condemned the creation of non-consensual sexual deepfakes as a serious violation of human rights and digital security.
X's Response and Musk's Defiance
In a seemingly reactive move on Friday, X altered Grok's settings. The chatbot began displaying a message stating that image generation capabilities had been restricted to paid subscribers only. Downing Street dismissed this change as "insulting."
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall was unequivocal in her criticism, stating: "Sexually manipulating images of women and children is despicable and abhorrent." She emphasised it was totally unacceptable for the feature to be available for a fee and expects an update from Ofcom within "days, not weeks."
Ms Kendall added that she would support the regulator if it decided to block X in the UK for non-compliance with the Online Safety Act. Ofcom has now begun an expedited assessment of the situation after making urgent contact with the platform.
Legal Powers and Musk's Counter-Claim
Under the Online Safety Act, Ofcom wields significant power. It can:
- Fine companies up to £18 million or 10% of their global revenue.
- Take criminal action.
- Order payment providers, advertisers, and internet service providers to cease dealings with a site, effectively banning it with court approval.
Appearing defiant, Elon Musk shared a post from an X user criticising the Labour government's focus on his platform. He pointed to claims that other AI programmes generate non-sexualised images of women in bikinis. "They want any excuse for censorship," the tech billionaire stated.
Musk has previously asserted on X that anyone using Grok to produce illegal content would face the same consequences as if they had uploaded it directly. However, the global scrutiny on X and Grok shows no signs of abating as regulators demand accountability for the AI's outputs.
