Elon Musk Accuses UK Government of stifling Free Speech as Ministers Threaten to Block X Over Grok AI Scandal

Elon Musk has entered a fresh confrontation with UK officials, accusing the government of attempting to crush free speech. The dispute escalated after ministers warned that his social media platform, X, could be barred from operating in the UK. The potential ban stems from the discovery that X’s AI tool, Grok, was being utilized to generate non-consensual sexual images of women and children. Musk dismissed the threats, claiming that Grok had surged in popularity to become the most downloaded app on the UK App Store, while asserting that the government’s true motive is censorship.
The controversy centers on the capabilities of Grok, which users have exploited to create “deepfake” pornography. Reports indicate that the AI was used to digitally remove clothing from photos of women and teenage girls, replacing them with micro-bikinis or placing them in violent and abusive scenarios. Some generated content depicted women bound, gagged, or injured, while other images were altered to appear as child sexual abuse material. This alarming trend has sparked a severe backlash from safety campaigners and victims who have been targeted by the technology.
In response to the growing outcry, UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall issued a stark warning. She stated that the government is seriously considering invoking the Online Safety Act to block access to X if the platform fails to remove the harmful material. Kendall emphasized that Ofcom, the communications regulator, is demanding urgent answers and is expected to announce punitive measures within days. “X needs to get a grip and get this material down,” Kendall asserted, noting that the government would fully back Ofcom in exercising its backstop powers.
The condemnation of X’s handling of AI has reached international levels. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese echoed the UK’s concerns, labeling the use of generative AI to exploit non-consensual subjects as “abhorrent.” Albanese cited this as another instance of social media giants failing to show social responsibility. Conversely, some political figures have rallied to Musk’s defense; former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss interpreted the threatened ban as a sign that the current administration is losing control, framing the issue as a battle for free expression rather than public safety.
Amidst the pressure, X has implemented partial restrictions. The platform removed the ability for free users to generate images via the public account and appears to have blocked the specific creation of bikini-clad figures. However, the functionality remains accessible to paid subscribers, and the Grok app continues to have the capacity to generate explicit content from photos. Campaigners, including Labour MP Jess Asato, are now calling for expedited legislation to ban “nudification” apps entirely, highlighting that similar tools are still being advertised on platforms like Google, which has since suspended the offending advertisers.