The threat to ban X from the UK over its Grok AI scandal has deepened the political divide within the country, even as Elon Musk claims he is the victim of a “free speech” attack. The Labour government, led by ministers like Liz Kendall, is threatening to use the Online Safety Act to block the platform for facilitating the creation of non-consensual sexual images of women and children. In contrast, opposition figures like former Prime Minister Liz Truss have rallied to Musk’s defense, framing the potential ban as an authoritarian overreach. Musk himself has fueled this division, accusing the government of censorship while touting Grok’s popularity.
The underlying issue, however, remains the severe misuse of the Grok AI. The tool was used to generate explicit deepfakes, “nudifying” women and girls and depicting them in violent and degrading scenarios. The creation of child sexual abuse material through the app has been the most damaging revelation, prompting safety experts to demand immediate action. The politicization of the issue has somewhat obscured the primary concern: the protection of vulnerable individuals from digital abuse.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has remained firm, stating that the government is “looking seriously” at blocking X if it does not “get a grip.” She emphasized that Ofcom is acting with urgency and that the government will back the regulator’s decision to use its backstop powers. The government’s position is that the law applies equally to all, and that “free speech” does not include the right to generate illegal images of children or to harass women with deepfake pornography.
International reaction has been largely critical of X, with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese describing the situation as “abhorrent.” The global perspective tends to view the incident as a failure of corporate responsibility rather than a free speech issue. However, Musk’s ability to mobilize his vast following and political allies means that any regulatory action is likely to be met with significant public pushback and debate.
X has responded by restricting image generation for free users but leaving the tool available for paid subscribers. This half-measure has done little to satisfy critics who want to see the capability removed entirely. The incident has also highlighted the need for specific legislation banning “nudification” apps, with MPs calling for a crackdown on the entire ecosystem of synthetic abuse tools. The debate is likely to continue as the UK attempts to enforce its new online safety regime.