British regulators want to open an investigation into Grok, the AI ​​chatbot of Musk's X Platform, and warned that if it does not curb its generation of sexual assault and "deep fake" content, the platform may face being banned in the UK or facing huge fines. The case highlights the UK’s determination to implement tougher regulation of social media and generative AI platforms under the Online Safety Act.

British media regulator Ofcom said it had launched a formal investigation into the Grok chatbot on the X platform because it was used to generate and distribute pornographic "deepfake" images of women and children, including "intimate images" without the consent of the subjects and illegal content involving child sexual abuse. An Ofcom spokesman said reports that Grok was being used to create and share illegal non-consensual intimate images and child sexual abuse material were "extremely concerning" and stressed that platforms must protect UK users from content deemed illegal under UK law, particularly with regard to child safety, and that regulators will not hesitate to take action.

Under the Online Safety Act, if an investigation determines that X did not take sufficient steps to prevent illegal content from being viewed and adult content from being accessed by children, Ofcom can apply to the courts to block the platform in the UK or impose a fine of up to £18 million or 10% of global revenue, whichever is greater. This investigation will focus on examining six aspects, including: whether

The British government also chose to side with the regulators. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall is expected to make a statement on the matter in the House of Commons, and ministers have previously spoken out in support of Ofcom's decision. Business Secretary Peter Kell stated that even if X is eventually restricted or blocked in the UK, the government will support Ofcom, and criticized X for not conducting sufficient testing before launching Grok, which has image generation and manipulation capabilities, and for ignoring its potential harm to women.

Kyle also mentioned a specific case: a Jewish woman discovered that her image was generated by AI and placed outside the Auschwitz concentration camp. Photos of her wearing a bikini were spread online. This incident made him "extremely nauseated" and was regarded as a typical example of AI deepfakes that violate human dignity. Some parliamentarians and public opinion believe that Ofcom only launched a formal investigation this time, rather than directly using emergency powers or taking more drastic and immediate measures, which still seems not tough enough.

At the international level, Malaysia and Indonesia took the lead in taking action against Grok last weekend, becoming the first countries in the world to block access to the chatbot, also citing concerns that it could be used to generate pornographic and non-consensual images of women and children. The moves are expected to anger X owner Elon Musk, who has previously accused the British government of trying to stifle free speech, and could also draw dissatisfaction with the current U.S. administration.

Sarah Rogers, the U.S. State Department’s undersecretary of state for public diplomacy, recently accused the United Kingdom of “considering a Russian X-blocking measure,” comparing London’s regulatory approach to Moscow’s Internet controls. Meanwhile, X last week partially restricted the ability of free users to generate Grok images, but still allowed paying users to continue using the service that includes extreme image manipulation capabilities, a move that further stoked the anger of the public and activist groups.

The escalating dispute comes as UK ministers are under pressure to consider whether they should stop using X as a platform for official government information to send a clearer regulatory signal. Company

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Grok, owned by Musk, was banned in Indonesia and Malaysia due to sexualized images, the first of its kind in the world