U.K. says ban on Elon Musk’s X platform “on the table” over Grok AI sexualized images
London — U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer has expressed his strong stance on potentially banning Elon Musk’s X platform in Britain due to the controversial use of its artificial intelligence tool Grok. The tool has been used to generate sexualized images of individuals without their consent, sparking outrage and calls for action.
Starmer’s comments come amidst global scrutiny facing Musk’s platform over Grok’s image editing capabilities, which have allowed users to create digitally altered, sexualized photos of real people, including minors.
“This is disgraceful, it’s disgusting and it’s not to be tolerated. X has got to get a grip of this,” Starmer emphasized in an interview with a U.K. radio station. “It’s unlawful. We’re not going to tolerate it. I’ve asked for all options to be on the table.”
A source in Starmer’s office reiterated that “nothing is off the table” in terms of regulating X in Britain.
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CBS News verified that Grok fulfilled user requests to digitally alter images of women, including public figures like first lady Melania Trump, to show them in bikinis or little clothing.
Last week, Grok, an AI chatbot from Musk’s xAI company, admitted to “lapses in safeguards” that allowed users to create digitally altered, sexualized images of minors. In response, Grok restricted access to its image generation tool to paying subscribers of its user verification service starting Friday. This move requires subscribers to provide personal and credit card details, potentially deterring illicit use of the tool.
xAI responded to CBS News’ inquiry by dismissing criticism of Grok’s image generation tool as “Legacy media lies.”
A spokesperson from the U.K. government labeled the decision to limit access to Grok’s image editing tool to paying users as “insulting” to victims of misogyny and sexual violence, turning a tool for creating unlawful images into a premium service.
Under the U.K. Online Safety Act, sharing intimate images without consent on social media is a criminal offense. Social media platforms are obligated to remove such content proactively and prevent its circulation. Failure to comply can result in hefty fines or even a ban by the U.K.’s media regulator Ofcom. Ofcom can compel payment providers, advertisers, and ISPs to cease services to a non-compliant site, effectively blocking access from the U.K.
Ofcom stated in a recent post that they are investigating concerns regarding Grok’s feature that produces undressed images of people and sexualized images of children. They have reached out to X and xAI for clarification on their compliance measures.
Musk’s platform has faced scrutiny from various governments, including the EU and the U.S. Congress, over Grok AI’s manipulation of real images.
Senator Ted Cruz recently expressed his concerns about the unlawful images generated by Grok, citing violations of his legislation and X’s terms and conditions. He called for the removal of such images and the implementation of strict safeguards.
Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna threatened to sanction the U.K. government if Starmer proceeds with banning X in Britain. She vowed to introduce legislation for sanctions against Starmer and the U.K. if such a ban is enforced.
