Published: January 12, 2026 at 11:38 am
The UK Government has warned that Elon Musk’s social media platform X could potentially be blocked in the UK.
The news comes amid concerns that it is failing to adequately protect users from harmful content generated by its AI tool, Grok.
Business Secretary Peter Kyle said X “is not doing enough to keep its customers safe online”, confirming the government would fully support any enforcement action taken by Ofcom, including the possibility of banning the platform if it is found to be in breach of the Online Safety Act.
Ofcom has launched a fast-tracked investigation into Grok after the AI tool was used to generate large volumes of sexualised images of women and children, often by manipulating real photographs.
Kyle said the regulator had already requested information from X and was now conducting what he described as an “expedited inquiry”.
He warned that Ofcom’s powers range from “heavy, heavy fines all the way through to banning X from our country”, adding that the government stands “fully behind Ofcom” in exercising those powers if necessary.
Musk has accused critics of the platform, saying “they want any excuse for censorship”.
He responded by reposting messages criticising the UK government’s stance, including one featuring AI-generated images of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer in a bikini.
“They just want to suppress free speech,” Musk wrote whilst quote-reposting the original post, framing the backlash as politically motivated censorship rather than a safety issue.
The pressure on X has intensified after Malaysia and Indonesia became the first countries in the world to block access to Grok outright.