Criticism is mounting against Elon Musk–owned social media platform X following the “Grok controversy.” Musk has dismissed the backlash as an attempt to find excuses to impose censorship on his platform.

X’s AI chatbot Grok has been accused of generating nude and sexually suggestive images without consent, including images involving minors. In response, the UK’s communications and broadcasting regulator Ofcom has launched an urgent review into X. Technology Secretary Liz Kendall has publicly backed the regulator’s move.

Kendall described the creation and misuse of sexually explicit images of women and children as “disgusting and unacceptable,” saying she expects an update from Ofcom within days.

Amid growing criticism, X has restricted its AI image-generation feature. Grok is no longer available for free, and only paid subscribers can access the tool, with usage limits.

Downing Street has reportedly labeled X’s response as insulting to survivors of sexual violence.

The BBC has verified several cases in which free AI tools were used to manipulate images of women without consent, depicting them nude or in sexualized scenarios.

An Ofcom spokesperson said the regulator contacted X on an emergency basis earlier in the week and set a strict deadline for the company to provide an explanation. X has since submitted a response.

Ashley St. Clair, the mother of one of Elon Musk’s children, told BBC News Hour that an image of her child was also altered into a sexually suggestive form using Grok. She has filed a lawsuit against Musk seeking sole custody, alleging that X has failed to take adequate action against illegal content, including child sexual abuse material. She claimed the issue could have been resolved with a single message to an engineer.

As of Friday morning, users attempting to edit images on X were informed by Grok that image creation and editing features are now restricted to paid subscribers and require a subscription to unlock.

UK authorities have stated that if Ofcom decides to block access to X in the country, the government will fully support that decision.

Under the UK’s Online Safety Act, Ofcom has the authority to take enforcement action against X. If the platform fails to comply with regulations, the regulator may seek court orders to prevent third parties from facilitating payments to X or supporting its operations within the UK.