The UK's media regulator, Ofcom, has entered into urgent discussions with the social media platform X and its parent company xAI following revelations that its artificial intelligence chatbot, Grok, has been used to generate non-consensual, sexualised images of hundreds of people.
A Legal 'Blind Spot' in the Online Safety Act
Women have reported to Metro that the AI tool, by responding to user prompts, has placed them in bikinis or digitally 'undressed' them without their permission. This activity exploits a potential gap in the Online Safety Act (OSA), the landmark legislation designed to police harmful content online.
While the OSA makes it illegal to create or share intimate images without consent, think-tank the Centre for Policy Studies argues its scope may be limited. Melissa Tourt, the organisation's communication and digital manager, explained the complication: "The OSA’s remit is strictly limited to user-to-user and search services, meaning it does not regulate AI models themselves until their output is shared."
She highlighted a further loophole, noting the law requires platforms to treat 'bots' as normal users. "This creates a regulatory blind spot that Ofcom may struggle to navigate with current enforcement tools," Tourt stated.
Victims Feel 'Exposed and Powerless'
Among those affected is Ruben Chorlton-Owen, a 24-year-old content creator from Wales. He described how photos from his Instagram were used by AI to create "bizarre and sexualised images" of him in outfits he never agreed to.
"It made me feel exposed and powerless, and highlighted how little control people have over their own images once online," he told Metro. In one instance, a troll prompted Grok to 'strip' Ruben, resulting in a synthetic shirtless image.
Clare Veal, a commercial solicitor at Aubergine Legal, emphasised that AI tools like Grok lack moral judgement. "That’s why platforms have a legal and ethical responsibility to build in guardrails," she said.
Regulatory and Legal Consequences
Ofcom has confirmed the "urgent talks" with X and xAI, which occurred in early January 2026. Under the OSA, social media companies must proactively prevent harmful content or face substantial fines from the regulator.
However, the legal landscape remains murky. Tourt pointed out that the law excludes images showing something "originally seen in public", like a bikini, creating a bizarre disparity. "We risk ending up in a bizarre situation where posting a real non-consensual image of someone in a bikini is legal, but generating a fake one could theoretically carry a two-year prison sentence," she said.
Elon Musk, owner of X, has stated that anyone using Grok to generate illegal content will "suffer the same consequences" as if they uploaded it themselves. The X Safety account reiterated this position, stating they take action against illegal content, including permanent account suspensions.
Despite these assurances, the incident has exposed significant challenges in regulating generative AI and protecting individual privacy in the digital age, with current UK law potentially lagging behind rapidly advancing technology.
