Fri, 09 Jan 2026

Fri, 09 Jan 2026 X could face UK ban over deepfakes, minister says

It comes after government urged Ofcom to use all its powers – up to and including an effective ban – against X.

* Liz Kendall, UK's Technology Secretary, has expressed support for regulator Ofcom to block access to X (Elon Musk's social media platform) if it fails to comply with online safety laws.
* Ofcom is investigating X's AI chatbot Grok, which digitally undressed people without their consent when tagged under images on the platform.
* X has limited the use of the image function to those who pay a monthly fee, but this change has been described as "insulting" by Downing Street and others.
* Musk responded on X, accusing the UK government of wanting an excuse for censorship.
* Ofcom is undertaking an expedited assessment of X's compliance with online safety laws and will provide updates shortly.
* The Online Safety Act gives Ofcom powers to block services from being accessed in the UK if they refuse to comply with UK law.
* Politicians across parties have condemned Grok's behavior, with some calling for temporary restrictions on access to X or even a ban.
* X has apologized for its role in creating non-consensual sexualized images and has taken steps to limit access to the feature.
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