Britain is edging closer to its most dramatic tech crackdown yet, as ministers warn that X could be blocked across the UK after its AI chatbot was used to create sexualised images of women and children without consent.
The escalating row centres on Grok, an artificial intelligence tool developed by Elon Musk’s xAI business and integrated into X. Over recent days, users have generated thousands of manipulated images an hour, including material that watchdogs say may amount to illegal child sexual abuse content.
Starmer Orders ‘All Options’ to Be Considered
Prime Minister Keir Starmer has instructed regulators to prepare for the toughest measures available under the Online Safety Act, branding the images “disgusting” and “not to be tolerated.”
Downing Street sources say those actions could include multibillion-pound fines or, in the most extreme scenario, blocking access to X in Britain, which is a move that would affect around 20 million UK users.
Ofcom Weighs Unused Powers
The focus now turns to Ofcom, which confirmed it has made urgent contact with X and is conducting an expedited assessment. The regulator has the authority to seek court orders forcing internet providers, app stores or advertisers to cut off access to services that repeatedly fail to remove illegal content.
While those powers have never been used before, ministers have made clear they expect rapid progress. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said she would back Ofcom “in days, not weeks” if it chose to act.
What Grok Was Doing And Why It Matters
Grok allows users to tag the chatbot beneath images posted on X and request edits. Researchers and charities say this feature was widely abused, with prompts such as “put her in a bikini” transforming photos of real women — and in some cases girls — into sexualised images without consent.
The Internet Watch Foundation said its analysts had discovered images of girls aged 11 to 13 that appeared to have been created using Grok, warning some could meet the legal definition of child sexual abuse material.
X has since limited image generation to paid subscribers, a move Downing Street dismissed as “insulting” to victims. Campaigners argue the harm has already been done.
Free Speech Clash With the US
The dispute risks widening a transatlantic rift over online regulation. US officials have criticised the UK’s approach as heavy-handed, while Musk has accused Britain of using the issue as a pretext for censorship.
Senior US figures have warned against what they describe as building a digital “Great Wall,” even as American politicians condemn the AI images themselves as unacceptable.
Political Pressure Builds at Home
The controversy is also causing unease inside Westminster. Several Labour MPs have privately urged the government to stop using X altogether, arguing that continuing to post on the platform undermines efforts to protect women and children online.
Former cabinet minister Louise Haigh went further, calling it “unconscionable” for public bodies to remain active on a site she says enables abuse.
A Defining Test for the Online Safety Act
If Ofcom moves to restrict or block X, it would mark the first real test of Britain’s flagship Online Safety Act, and set a global precedent for how democracies deal with AI-generated sexual abuse.
For now, regulators are weighing evidence, X is under intense scrutiny, and ministers are signalling that nothing is off the table.
Whether Britain truly pulls the plug on one of the world’s biggest social platforms may determine how far governments are willing to go to rein in AI, and how much power tech giants can still claim in the age of generative algorithms.
Published by Kerry Harrison
Kerry’s been writing professionally for over 14 years, after graduating with a First Class Honours Degree in Multimedia Journalism from Canterbury Christ Church University. She joined Orbital Today in 2022. She covers everything from UK launch updates to how the wider space ecosystem is evolving. She enjoys digging into the detail and explaining complex topics in a way that feels straightforward. Before writing about space, Kerry spent years working with cybersecurity companies. She’s written a lot about threat intelligence, data protection, and how cyber and space are increasingly overlapping, whether that’s satellite security or national defence. With a strong background in tech writing, she’s used to making tricky, technical subjects more approachable. That mix of innovation, complexity, and real-world impact is what keeps her interested in the space sector.