X has disabled its image generator for free users following controversy over its ability to generate sexualised pictures of women and children.
The move follows reports yesterday that the UK was considering a full ban of social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter and owned by Tesla and SpaceX entrepreneur Elon Musk, over the feature.
Most of the firm’s 650 million users will not now be able to use the feature. The paying subscribers who do will have their personal and financial details logged with X.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said he had asked media regulator Ofcom for “all options to be on the table” and said its ability to virtually undress children was “disgraceful, disgusting and not to be tolerated”.
Adding that it was “unlawful”, he continued: “X need to get their act together and get this material down – and we will take action on this because it’s simply not tolerable.”
Had the UK fined X billions of pounds or blocked access to the platform in Britain, it would have marked the first time that the government had used the full powers of the Online Safety Act.
Musk, the world’s richest man, has previously criticised the Act as a form of “suppression of the people”. It gives officials the power to ban social media sites that repeatedly fail to take down illegal images such as child abuse material or revenge porn.
Doing so would involve an investigation, provisional ruling and court order.
Ofcom warned this week that it could launch an investigation into X over the images and said it had made “urgent contact” with the platform.