UK regulator probes X over Grok AI chatbot misuse as Malaysia and Indonesia block service
Key Points
- Ofcom opened a formal investigation into X under the Online Safety Act after Grok AI chatbot was linked to illegal imagery.
- The probe will assess X's compliance with duties to protect users, risk‑assessment practices, and age‑verification safeguards.
- Ofcom can impose fines up to £18 million or 10 percent of worldwide revenue and seek court orders to block services.
- India and the European Union are also reported to be investigating X for similar concerns.
- Malaysia and Indonesia blocked Grok, citing insufficient safeguards against explicit AI‑generated deepfakes.
- Indonesia’s minister called non‑consensual sexual deepfakes a serious human‑rights violation.
- Malaysia’s regulator said the block will stay until X Corp and xAI implement stronger protections.
Britain's media regulator Ofcom has opened a formal investigation into X under the Online Safety Act after reports that the Grok AI chatbot was used to create and share non‑consensual intimate images and child sexual abuse material. The probe will assess X's compliance with legal duties, risk‑assessment procedures, and age‑verification safeguards. Meanwhile, Malaysia and Indonesia have become the first countries to block access to Grok, citing insufficient safeguards against explicit AI‑generated deepfakes of women and children. Both regulators say the block will stay in place until stronger protections are put in place.
Ofcom launches investigation into X
Britain's independent online safety regulator Ofcom has initiated a formal inquiry into X under the Online Safety Act. The investigation follows reports that the Grok AI chatbot on X was used to generate and share undressed images of individuals and sexualized images of children, potentially constituting intimate image abuse and child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Ofcom will examine whether X has complied with its legal duties to protect UK users from illegal content, including the effectiveness of its risk assessments, removal of illegal material, and age‑verification measures designed to shield children from pornography.
Ofcom contacted X on January 5 and received a response by the January 9 deadline. The regulator is conducting an expedited assessment of the evidence and has asked xAI for urgent clarification on the steps being taken to protect UK users. If Ofcom determines that X has breached the law, it can require remedial actions, impose fines of up to £18 million or 10 percent of worldwide revenue, and seek court orders to block payment providers, advertisers, or internet service providers from supporting the platform. The UK government has indicated it will back any enforcement action taken by Ofcom.
International attention and coordinated response
Reports over the weekend suggested that the UK has discussed a coordinated response to Grok‑generated deepfakes with international allies. Regulators in India and the European Union are also reported to be investigating X for similar concerns.
Grok’s limited access to paid users
Last week the Grok account on X announced that its image‑generation and editing tools would be limited to paying subscribers. However, as of the following Monday, non‑paying users could still generate images through the Grok tab on the X website and app.
Malaysia and Indonesia block Grok
Malaysia and Indonesia became the first countries to block Grok, stating that the chatbot lacks adequate safeguards to prevent the creation and distribution of explicit AI‑generated deepfakes involving women and children. Indonesia’s Communication and Digital Affairs Minister described non‑consensual sexual deepfakes as a serious violation of human rights, dignity, and digital safety. The country’s director general of digital space supervision noted that generating deepfakes can infringe on image and privacy rights and cause reputational, social, and psychological harm.
The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission cited repeated misuse of Grok to produce explicit and non‑consensual deepfakes, some involving minors. The regulator said Grok will remain blocked in Malaysia until X Corp and parent company xAI establish sufficiently strong safeguards.