X Faces UK Investigation Over Online Safety Violations

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The UK communications regulator, Ofcom, has launched a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, following reports that its AI tool, Grok, is being used to generate and share non-consensual sexualized images.

The watchdog is particularly concerned about "deeply concerning" reports of the chatbot creating undressed images of individuals and sexualized imagery of children. Ofcom will examine whether X has failed in its duty to remove illegal content swiftly and whether it has implemented effective age-verification measures to protect minors from harmful material.

If found in breach of the UK’s Online Safety Act, X faces severe penalties, including fines of up to 10% of its global revenue or £18 million, whichever is higher.

In extreme cases, Ofcom has the power to seek a court order to block access to the platform within the UK. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has urged a swift conclusion to the probe, emphasizing that victims should not face delays in justice.

The investigation follows recent incidents, including accounts of a woman discovering over 100 AI-generated sexual images of herself and reports of highly offensive imagery involving historical sites like Auschwitz.
In response, X has pointed to its safety policies, stating that users prompting Grok to create illegal content will face the same consequences as those uploading it directly. Elon Musk has criticized the move, suggesting the UK government is looking for "any excuse for censorship" and questioning why other AI platforms are not under similar scrutiny.

Despite these defenses, the pressure on X continues to mount globally, as both Malaysia and Indonesia have already taken temporary steps to block the Grok tool over similar concerns regarding its image-generation capabilities.