Britain’s online safety watchdog has drawn a firm line in the sand. Ofcom is formally investigating Elon Musk’s social media platform, X, over fears that its AI chatbot, Grok, is being used to generate and spread sexualised deep fake images — including images involving women and children.
On Monday, Ofcom confirmed it had opened its first major enforcement probe under the UK’s new Online Safety Act, putting one of the world’s biggest social media platforms squarely in its sights.
The regulator says it has received “deeply concerning reports” that Grok, the AI chatbot linked to X, is being used to create and share undressed or sexualised images of people — content that could amount to intimate image abuse, illegal pornography, or child sexual abuse material.
The investigation moved fast. Ofcom contacted X urgently on January 5, demanding answers on how UK users were being protected. By January 9, X had responded. But after an expedited review, the regulator decided the concerns were serious enough to warrant a full-scale probe.
At the heart of the investigation is whether X failed to properly assess the risk of illegal content, act quickly to remove it, stop users — especially children — from accessing it, and enforce effective age checks.
UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall welcomed the move, stressing that victims “will not accept any delay” and calling for swift action as public concern mounts.
If Ofcom finds X in breach of the law, the penalties could be severe: fines of up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue, whichever is higher. In extreme cases, the regulator could even seek court orders to block access to X in the UK.
The UK probe is also part of a wider global backlash. Malaysia and Indonesia have already blocked Grok entirely, while France has escalated the issue to prosecutors and India has demanded explanations.
Musk, however, has pushed back, accusing the UK government of using the issue as an excuse for censorship. Despite X limiting Grok’s image-generation tools to paying users, UK officials say the move falls far short — calling it an insult to victims and warning that safety cannot be sold as a premium feature.
For now, all eyes are on Ofcom as it tests the real power of Britain’s Online Safety Act — and sends a message to tech giants worldwide.
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