Downing Street has launched a scathing attack on social media platform X, branding its response to the misuse of its AI chatbot Grok to create illegal images as "insulting" and accusing it of creating a "premium service" for deepfakes.
X Restricts Tool to Paying Users After Criminal Abuse
The controversy erupted after the Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) confirmed on Thursday, 8 January 2026, that its analysts had discovered criminal child sexual abuse imagery. The material, depicting children aged between 11 and 13, appeared to have been generated using the Grok AI tool.
In response, X has now limited the image generation and editing features of Grok to its paying subscribers. Users attempting to use the function are now met with a message stating: "Image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers."
This move was immediately condemned by the Prime Minister's official spokesman on Friday, 9 January 2026. The spokesman stated the change "simply turns an AI feature that allows the creation of unlawful images into a premium service." He emphasised it was "not a solution" and was, in fact, "insulting the victims of misogyny and sexual violence."
Government and Regulators Demand Action
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer had previously described the situation as "disgraceful" and "disgusting," demanding that X "get their act together" and "get a grip on this." His spokesman drew a stark comparison, noting that if a traditional media company displayed unlawful images on public billboards, it would face immediate public backlash and be forced to act.
The backlash against X and its owner Elon Musk has intensified in recent days, with numerous users, predominantly women, reporting seeing AI-generated sexualised images of themselves circulating on the platform.
Regulator Ofcom confirmed it had made "urgent contact" with X following the IWF's reports. The government has indicated that "all options" are being considered, including empowering Ofcom to take direct action.
Safety 'By Design' Called For
Hannah Swirsky, Head of Policy at the IWF, said limiting access was "not good enough." She argued the move does not undo the harm caused and that tools should be "safe by design" from the outset.
"Companies must make sure the products they build and make available to the global public are safe by design," Ms Swirsky stated. "If that means governments and regulators need to force them to design safer tools, then that is what must happen. Sitting and waiting for unsafe products to be abused before taking action is unacceptable."
Elon Musk, who owns both X and the AI firm xAI behind Grok, had released a new version of the chatbot earlier in the week, though its specific updates were unclear. He has previously asserted that anyone using Grok to create illegal content would face severe consequences.
X maintains that it takes action against illegal content, including removing it, suspending accounts permanently, and cooperating with law enforcement. Sky News has contacted X for further comment on the latest criticisms from the government and regulators.
