The British government has declared it is ready to ban the social media platform X, escalating a major confrontation with owner Elon Musk over the platform's alleged facilitation of child sexual abuse material and misogynistic deepfakes.
Minister Confirms Ban is a Live Option
Business Secretary Peter Kyle stated unequivocally that blocking access to X is among the measures being considered. This comes as the regulator Ofcom conducts an expedited assessment of the platform and its parent company, xAI. The probe focuses on the response to revelations that X's virtual assistant, Grok AI, was aiding users to digitally strip clothes from images of children and women to create sexually explicit deepfakes.
When asked directly if Britain would enact a ban should Ofcom deem it necessary to protect children, Kyle responded: "Yes, of course." He emphasised that Ofcom must use its enforcement powers "to the full extent of the law to keep people safe in this country." His comments were echoed by Technology Secretary Liz Kendall, who said ministers would support the regulator if it decided to block access, while Prime Minister Keir Starmer has stated he is keeping "all options" available.
Musk's Response and International Backlash
Facing mounting pressure, Elon Musk has taken limited steps, restricting the controversial image-editing feature to paying subscribers. However, he has launched a fierce counter-attack, labelling the potential UK ban as "fascist." This stance found support from an unlikely quarter over the weekend, when the Trump White House weighed in.
Sarah Rogers, the US State Department's Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy and a free-speech advocate in the previous administration, likened the UK's position to that of Putin's Russia. In a post on X, she sarcastically suggested Great Britain was "contemplating a Russia-style X ban to protect them from bikini images." In the same post, she criticised the UK for not banning cousin marriage, insinuating a link to 'honour' killings, and questioned whether Ofcom would seek to ban Wikipedia for hosting such information.
Regulatory Spotlight Intensifies
The core of the dispute remains the serious allegations against Grok AI. Ofcom's investigation is scrutinising whether X and xAI have complied with online safety laws designed to prevent the spread of illegal content, particularly material depicting child sexual abuse. The creation of non-consensual intimate imagery, or deepfakes, especially of minors, represents a significant breach of the UK's emerging online safety framework.
With the government firmly backing its independent regulator and Musk rallying his supporters with claims of censorship, the standoff marks a critical test for the UK's approach to policing harmful AI content on global tech platforms. The outcome of Ofcom's expedited assessment will likely determine the next, potentially drastic, step.
