The United Kingdom is now facing the serious possibility of blocking access to Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot created by Elon Musk and integrated into his social media platform X. This development follows swift action by two Southeast Asian nations and comes as the UK's media watchdog launches a formal investigation.
International Crackdown and UK Investigation
Indonesia became the first country to enact a ban on Saturday, January 10, 2026, invoking legislation that requires online platforms to prevent the sharing of illegal material. Users in the country are now met with an error page when attempting to access the AI tool. Malaysia followed suit on Sunday, January 11, announcing a temporary block on the chatbot developed by Musk's start-up, xAI.
Malaysian communication officials had issued warnings to both X Corp and xAI on January 3 and January 8. While X stated that users could report offending posts, authorities deemed this response 'inadequate'. The restriction will remain until the company implements more robust protective measures.
In the UK, the situation is escalating. Ofcom confirmed on January 12, 2026, that it is investigating X under the Online Safety Act (OSA). The regulator possesses the authority to impose substantial fines or, in extreme cases, pursue a complete ban of the social network—a move the British government has indicated it would support.
Legal Powers and Potential Consequences
Melisa Tourt, a communication and digital manager at the Centre for Policy Studies think-tank, explained the process to Metro. If Ofcom determines that X is violating the law, the company will be given 20 days to formally respond or request a hearing.
The potential financial penalties are severe. Ofcom could fine X up to £18 million or 10% of its global revenue. This is a significant sum, especially considering X's global revenue reportedly fell by 60% to £28.9 million the previous year.
Should a ban become the only viable option, Ofcom would need to seek court approval, with a judge making the final ruling. The regulator's legal authority stems from the OSA, which permits 'business disruption measures'. However, Tourt cautioned that such a drastic step is not imminent, stating, 'Ofcom are nowhere near that yet.'
She also highlighted the regulator's pace, noting, 'There’s good reason that Liz Kendall told Ofcom to not take “months and months”, Ofcom are super slow and have been very delayed on almost everything to do with the OSA.'
The Root of the Controversy and Enforcement Challenges
The investigation and international bans have been triggered by a flood of AI-generated explicit content on X. In recent weeks, users exploited Grok by tagging the @grok account and prompting it to create sexually explicit images of real women, including deepfakes depicting them pregnant or in 'see-through bikinis'.
Enforcing a blanket ban on an application is a complex logistical challenge, not a simple switch. It requires coordination across internet service providers, app stores, payment processors, and advertisers. Furthermore, tech-savvy users could employ Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) to bypass geographic restrictions.
Tourt suggested that a successful ban might push the government to consider restrictions on VPN services, though she acknowledged the political sensitivity of such a move, as it could set a precedent for action against other major social media platforms.
Despite the mounting pressure from Parliament, Tourt expressed scepticism that a permanent ban on Grok or X is inevitable. She pointed out that X Corp, a subsidiary of xAI, has so far complied with Ofcom's requests, meeting a tight Friday deadline set by the regulator. The coming weeks will be critical as Ofcom's investigation unfolds and X formulates its defence.
