UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer has said a ban on Elon Musk’s social media platform X remains a possible option as regulators examine the misuse of its artificial intelligence tool, Grok, to create sexualised images without consent.
Speaking on Thursday, Starmer said the government was prepared to act after reports that Grok had been used to generate digitally altered, explicit images of real people, including minors.
“This is disgraceful and it’s not to be tolerated,” Starmer told a UK radio station. “It’s unlawful. X has got to get a grip of this. I’ve asked for all options to be on the table.”
A Downing Street source later confirmed that “nothing is off the table” as the government considers regulatory action.
The remarks come amid growing international scrutiny of Grok’s image editing tool. CBS News said it verified that the AI fulfilled user requests to alter images of women to appear partially undressed, including high-profile public figures.
Last week, xAI, the company behind Grok, admitted to “lapses in safeguards” that allowed the creation of sexualised images of children. The firm said access to the image generation feature had since been restricted to paying subscribers who provide verified personal and payment details.
UK officials dismissed the move as inadequate. A government spokesperson said limiting access to paid users was “insulting” to victims, arguing it risked turning the creation of unlawful images into a premium service.
Under the UK Online Safety Act, sharing intimate images without consent is a criminal offence. Platforms are required to prevent such content and remove it quickly. Failure to comply can result in large fines or, in extreme cases, effective bans enforced by media regulator Ofcom.
Ofcom said this week it had made “urgent contact” with X and xAI and would carry out a rapid assessment to determine whether formal investigation was needed.
X and Grok are also facing pressure elsewhere. US lawmakers have raised concerns about violations of privacy laws, while European regulators continue to monitor the platform’s AI tools.
The row has taken on diplomatic overtones after US congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna warned she would push for sanctions against the UK if X were banned, highlighting the growing tension between tech regulation and free speech debates.
