The social media platform X, owned by Elon Musk, has been accused by the UK government of 'monetising abuse' due to its artificial intelligence tool generating violent and sexualised images of women and children.
Government Condemns 'Weapons of Abuse'
In a stark address to the House of Commons, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall detailed how the AI system, named Grok, is being used to create deeply disturbing content. She told MPs that the technology is producing images of women 'tied up and gagged, with bruises, covered in blood and much, much more'.
Ms Kendall labelled these AI-generated pictures as 'weapons of abuse'. She also cited alarming research from the Internet Watch Foundation, which has identified criminal imagery featuring children as young as 11, including sexualised depictions of girls and toddlers.
The minister announced that, under laws passed last year, it becomes a criminal offence this week to create or request the creation of non-consensual intimate images. She further emphasised that sharing such images without consent is already illegal for both individuals and platforms.
Ofcom Probe and Platform's Controversial Response
The condemnation follows the launch of an official investigation into X by the regulator Ofcom, acting under the Online Safety Act. Ms Kendall urged Ofcom to complete its work 'as soon as possible' and not let it drag on for 'months and months'.
She stressed that X does not need to wait for the investigation's conclusion to act, stating: 'They can choose to act sooner to ensure this abhorrent and illegal material cannot be shared on their platform.' The minister warned that if they fail to do so, Ofcom has the government's full backing to use its powers, which include fines of up to 10% of a company's global revenue.
X further inflamed the situation last week by limiting Grok's image generation features to paying subscribers only, with Premium subscriptions costing between £3.50 and £36.17 per month. Ms Kendall slammed this move, stating: 'This does not go anywhere near far enough. It is insulting to victims to say, 'you can still have this service if you're willing to pay', and it is monetising abuse.'
Potential Ban and Political Backlash
The government has confirmed that blocking access to X in the UK is among the options being considered. Business Secretary Peter Kyle said Britain would 'of course' consider a ban if Ofcom deemed it necessary to protect children.
This stance has triggered a fierce political and international debate. Elon Musk has previously warned that any action to block X would be 'fascist'. Over the weekend, figures from Donald Trump's former White House administration likened a potential UK ban to actions taken in Vladimir Putin's Russia.
Domestically, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch argued that banning X is 'the wrong answer', while Reform UK's Nigel Farage expressed fears the government would end up 'suppressing free speech'.
An Ofcom spokeswoman reiterated the regulator's position, saying: 'Platforms must protect people in the UK from content that's illegal in the UK, and we won't hesitate to investigate where we suspect companies are failing in their duties, especially where there's a risk of harm to children.'
