LONDON, UK — The long-simmering tension between billionaire Elon Musk and the British government reached a boiling point this weekend. On Saturday, January 10, 2026, Musk launched a scathing attack on the UK administration, accusing ministers of attempting to “suppress free speech” after the government threatened to block access to his social media platform, X (formerly Twitter), over a deluge of non-consensual AI-generated sexual imagery.
The standoff follows a week of intense global scrutiny surrounding Grok, the AI chatbot integrated into X. Reports have surfaced showing the tool being used to create “nudified” deepfakes of thousands of women and children, often transforming fully clothed photos into sexually explicit images without the subjects’ consent.
The “Free Speech” Counter-Strike
Responding to news that Technology Secretary Liz Kendall and Prime Minister Keir Starmer are considering a de facto ban on X, Musk took to his platform to frame the conflict as a fundamental battle over civil liberties.
“They just want to suppress free speech,” Musk wrote in a series of posts on Friday night and Saturday morning. He further claimed that despite the controversy, Grok had become the most downloaded app on the UK App Store, suggesting that the public appetite for the technology outweighs the government’s regulatory concerns.
However, the UK government insists that the issue is not about political expression, but about the “despicable and abhorrent” abuse of technology to harm individuals.
Inside the Controversy: The Abuse of Grok AI
The crisis erupted after researchers at AI Forensics and several news outlets discovered that Grok’s image-generation and editing features were being exploited at a staggering scale. The tool was reportedly used to:
- Digitally “Undress” Women: Clothed photographs were manipulated into images of women in bikinis or transparent clothing.
- Target Minors: Approximately 2% of the analyzed images depicted individuals who appeared to be under the age of 18.
- Generate Violent Content: More disturbing reports suggested the AI was used to depict women bound, gagged, or even shot, with some users specifically requesting the addition of blood and bruising.
In a direct response to the outcry, X partially restricted Grok on Friday. The platform’s public account lost the ability to generate images for free users, reserving the feature for paid Premium subscribers. Downing Street was quick to condemn the move, calling it “insulting” and arguing that it simply turned an illegal activity into a “premium service.”
The UK’s Legal Arsenal: The Online Safety Act
The UK government is leaning heavily on the Online Safety Act, which gives the media regulator Ofcom significant powers to intervene when platforms fail to protect users from illegal content.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall warned that “all options are on the table,” including:
- Multimillion-Pound Fines: Fines can reach up to 10% of a company’s global turnover.
- Backstop Powers: Ofcom has the legal authority to seek court orders requiring internet service providers (ISPs) to block access to a site or app in the UK.
- Expedited Action: Ofcom is expected to provide an update on its investigation within “days, not weeks.”
A Global Backlash
The UK is not alone in its condemnation. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese echoed the concerns from Canberra, stating that “global citizens deserve better” and calling the use of AI for exploitation “completely abhorrent.” Indonesia has already moved to block the Grok chatbot, and regulators in India and Malaysia have opened similar inquiries.
Even within the US, there is rare bipartisan concern. Republican Senator Ted Cruz recently stated that many of the AI-generated posts were “unacceptable” and a violation of his “Take It Down Act,” which has recently become law.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Is X currently banned in the UK? No. As of January 10, 2026, X is still accessible. However, the government and Ofcom have confirmed that a ban is a “backstop power” they are seriously considering if the platform does not comply with safety laws.
2. What has Elon Musk done to fix the issue? Musk’s company, xAI, restricted Grok’s image generation to paid subscribers and implemented “hard-coded” blocks on certain prompts. Musk has also stated that users who create illegal content will face the same consequences as those who upload it manually.
3. Why is the UK government calling the “paid subscription” fix insulting? Ministers argue that limiting the tool to paying users does not stop the abuse; it merely ensures that those who wish to create “nudified” images must first pay X for the privilege, effectively monetizing the harassment of women.
4. Can Ofcom actually block a major site like X? Yes. Under the Online Safety Act, if a company refuses to comply with a “service failure notice,” Ofcom can apply to the High Court for an order requiring UK ISPs to block access to the service.
5. Are there other apps that do this? Yes. Labour MP Jess Asato has pointed out that many “nudification” apps exist outside of X, some of which are still advertised on platforms like YouTube. The UK government is currently working on the Crime and Policing Bill to ban such apps entirely.