The UK government has issued a stark warning to Elon Musk's social media platform X, threatening to block its services in Britain. This dramatic move follows alarming reports that the platform's artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, has been used to generate sexualised imagery of children.
Minister Backs Regulator's Power to Block Access
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated unequivocally that she would support the communications regulator, Ofcom, in taking the most severe action available. Kendall confirmed that Ofcom would have the Government's "full support" if it decided to utilise its powers under the Online Safety Act to prevent X from being accessed by users in the United Kingdom.
Her strong stance emerged on Monday, January 9, 2026, amplifying a crisis that began when Ofcom revealed it had made "urgent contact" with X's management. The regulator acted swiftly after initial reports surfaced that users had successfully prompted the Grok AI tool to create deeply concerning sexualised images of people, with a specific and grave focus on children.
X's Paywall Response Sparks Government Fury
In reaction to the scandal, X, which is owned by billionaire Elon Musk, reportedly chose to place the AI image generation feature behind a paywall. This decision, rather than quelling the outrage, ignited further fury within the UK government.
Downing Street issued a sharp condemnation of the move today, branding it as "insulting" to victims of misogyny and sexual violence. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister argued that by restricting access to a paid tier, X was effectively turning the creation of harmful deepfakes into a "premium service," a concept they found utterly unacceptable.
A Critical Test for Online Safety Laws
This incident represents one of the first major tests of the UK's robust Online Safety Act. The legislation grants Ofcom sweeping powers to hold tech giants accountable for harmful content on their platforms, with service blocking being the ultimate sanction.
The government's threat underscores its commitment to enforcing the new rules, particularly when it comes to the protection of minors from AI-generated abuse. All eyes are now on Ofcom's next steps and whether X will implement more substantive safeguards beyond a simple paywall to address the core issue.
The situation remains fluid, with potential ramifications for how AI tools are integrated and moderated on major social media platforms globally.
