Elon Musk has accused the UK government of attempting to suppress free speech after ministers threatened to ban X. The threat comes after it was revealed that X’s Grok AI was being used to create explicit images of women and children without their consent. Musk highlighted that Grok had become the most downloaded app in the UK, seemingly dismissing the government’s concerns.
The misuse of Grok has been widespread. The AI was used to digitally remove clothing from images of women and teenagers, replacing it with swimwear or placing them in abusive contexts. The generation of images showing violence and bondage has led to calls for immediate action. Experts have warned that the platform is facilitating the creation of child sexual abuse material.
UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall warned that the government is considering blocking X under the Online Safety Act. She stated that Ofcom is expected to announce action within days and that the government would support the regulator’s decision. Kendall emphasized that the platform must comply with the law or face the consequences.
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese condemned the situation as “abhorrent” and a failure of social media responsibility. While some politicians have defended Musk, the safety of women and children remains the priority. The incident has sparked a global debate on AI ethics.
X has restricted access to Grok’s image generation for free users but continues to offer the feature to paid subscribers. The issue of “nudification” apps remains unresolved, with MPs calling for urgent legislation to ban them. Advertisements for similar services have been found on other platforms, leading to calls for stricter controls.