The UK's communications regulator, Ofcom, has opened a formal investigation into Elon Musk's social media platform X. The probe centres on serious allegations that the platform's integrated AI chatbot, Grok, was used to create and disseminate sexualised imagery of children.
Deepfake Abuse Allegations Prompt Urgent Action
This investigation was triggered by what Ofcom described as "deeply concerning reports." These claims suggest that users prompted Grok to generate undressed images of people and sexualised images of children. The regulator stated this content could constitute intimate image abuse, pornography, or material related to child sexual abuse.
Acting with urgency as the nation's online safety watchdog, Ofcom contacted X on Monday 5 January 2026. The company was given a firm deadline of Friday 9 January to detail the steps it had taken to comply with its legal duties to protect UK users under the Online Safety Act.
Expedited Assessment Leads to Formal Probe
X provided a response by the stipulated deadline. Ofcom then conducted a swift, expedited assessment of the available evidence. Following this review, the regulator decided to escalate matters to a full, formal investigation.
The core objective of this investigation is to establish whether X has failed to comply with its legal obligations. Ofcom has been liaising with both X and xAI, the creator of the Grok chatbot, regarding the production of these harmful AI-generated images.
Political Backlash and Regulatory Independence
The controversy has drawn sharp criticism from the UK government. Business Secretary Peter Kyle labelled some of the reported outputs "disgusting and clearly unlawful." He stated he expects the matter to be "dealt with," while emphasising that enforcement decisions rest solely with the independent regulator, Ofcom, not ministers.
This incident follows increased tension between X's owner, Elon Musk, and the UK government. Musk has previously accused the government of being "fascist" and attempting to suppress free speech amid threats to block his platform. The outcome of this Ofcom investigation could have significant repercussions for X's operations within the United Kingdom.
