X Faces UK Government Action Over Deepfake Content Generated by Grok AI

Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed strong concerns about the presence of sexualized deepfakes on the social media platform X, particularly those involving minors and adults. During an interview with Greatest Hits Radio, Starmer stated, "It’s disgusting. X need(s) to get their act together and remove this material. We will take action because it’s simply not tolerable."

The controversy stems from earlier reports by The Telegraph and Sky News indicating that X’s Grok AI chatbot, which launched a feature last month allowing users to edit images without permission, has been exploited to create AI-generated deepfakes. These deepfakes include non-consensual sexualized images of women and children, causing a significant public outcry.

In response, Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, has initiated an investigation into whether X’s actions violate the Online Safety Act, which mandates online platforms to manage harmful content effectively. An Ofcom spokesperson mentioned, “Based on their response, we will undertake a swift assessment to determine whether there are potential compliance issues that warrant investigation.”

X has publicly stated that “anyone using or prompting Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content,” but has yet to comment directly on the ongoing investigations.

This development underscores the increasing scrutiny of social media platforms and their responsibilities in regulating AI-generated content, especially as harmful deepfake creations continue to proliferate online.