The UK's media regulator, Ofcom, has formally launched an investigation into the social media platform X, following a public and political firestorm over the use of its AI tool, Grok, to create nonconsensual sexualised imagery.
Political Outcry and Platform Response
Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed the House of Commons, labelling images generated by the Grok artificial intelligence system as "disgusting" and "shameful". He stated that the government had been informed X was "acting to ensure full compliance with UK law", a move he called welcome but insufficient. "We are not going to back down. They must act," Starmer asserted, promising to strengthen laws and prepare new legislation if necessary.
In response to the escalating crisis, X is understood to have told the government it is taking steps to comply. In recent days, the platform has restricted the @grok account so it no longer generates images of real people in revealing clothing, a function that had been widely exploited by users requesting 'nudified' images of celebrities and private individuals.
Poll Reveals Public Demand for Action
The political pressure is underscored by stark new public opinion research. A poll by More in Common found that 58% of Britons believe X should be banned in the UK if it fails to crack down on AI-generated, nonconsensual intimate images. Furthermore, 60% think UK ministers should cease using the platform, and 79% fear the misuse of AI is set to become a more significant problem.
The sharing of such fabricated intimate imagery is illegal under the Online Safety Act. The issue gained urgent prominence last week when the Internet Watch Foundation reported users on a dark web forum boasting of using Grok to create sexualised imagery of girls aged between 11 and 13.
Government Criticism and Regulatory Scrutiny
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has criticised X's parent company, xAI, for limiting Grok's image generation to paying subscribers, calling it "a further insult to victims, effectively monetising this horrific crime". She has announced a wider ban on AI-enabled 'nudification' tools, though this has faced criticism for its delayed implementation.
Chi Onwurah, chair of the Commons science, innovation and technology committee, noted that reports of the disturbing deepfakes emerged in August 2025 and questioned whether the proposed ban would cover multipurpose tools like Grok. Meanwhile, Elon Musk has claimed he is "not aware of any naked underage images generated by Grok", attributing any problematic outputs to adversarial hacking and promising immediate fixes.
As Ofcom's independent investigation proceeds, the government has made clear it is monitoring X's actions closely, with the threat of a UK ban and further legal measures looming if the platform's response is deemed inadequate.
