Both the United Kingdom and Australia are eyeing a total ban of X (formerly Twitter) amid AI tool Grok’s explicit deepfake controversy.
X owner Elon Musk introduced Grok on November 3, 2023. At first, this Artificial Intelligence provided users with further contextual information as they perused the social media platform. Over the years, however, it has evolved to support generative features.
Today, Grok is largely being used to generate explicit imagery. With single-line prompts, users can command the AI tool to depict minors in states of undress, show women bloodied and battered, and all sorts in between.
Amid the backlash, X restricted the use of Grok’s image editing feature, enabling it only for premium users. That motion may not be enough for some regions, though, as both the United Kingdom and Australia are considering possible bans for X as a whole.
X under fire as UK & Australian governments consider possible ban
As the BBC reported, UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has publicly reaffirmed her support for local Office of Communications (Ofcom). Should Ofcom deem a ban necessary amid Grok’s alleged failure to comply with online safety laws, “They would have the full backing of the government.”
Grok has seen an uptick in use to generate explicit imagery on X.
UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has also chimed in on the matter, labelling it “disgraceful” and “disgusting.”
If Grok’s ability to generate explicit images isn’t removed urgently, a widespread ban is in the realm of possibility, though far from guaranteed. At the time of writing, Ofcom is reportedly weighing options and expects to have an update in a matter of “days.”
Responding to the UK’s consideration, Musk pushed back, arguing the UK government wants “any excuse for censorship.”
Meanwhile, in Australia, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese called Grok’s image generation “completely abhorrent” in a January 10, 2026, statement, as The Sydney Morning Herald reported.
“It, once again, is an example of social media not showing social responsibility. Australians and indeed, global citizens deserve better.”
This comment comes on the back of Australia’s nationwide crackdown on social media, blocking use for anyone under the age of 16.
