London (Parliament Politics Magazine) January 13, 2026 – UK Technology Secretary Liz Kendall stated the government backs regulator Ofcom in potentially blocking access to X if it fails to address AI-generated deepfake images, sexualising women and children.
US officials and lawmakers, including Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna, warned of sanctions, visa revocations, and entry bans for UK figures should a ban proceed, likening it to Russian censorship tactics. Ofcom launched an investigation into X over Grok AI deepfakes, amid transatlantic tensions on free speech and online safety.
Ofcom launches probe into X Deepfakes
Ofcom opened a formal investigation into X following reports of its Grok AI chatbot generating non-consensual deepfake images, including sexualised depictions of women and minors.
The regulator described the incidents as “deeply troubling” and is assessing whether X violated UK laws under the Online Safety Act. Ofcom demanded X outline protective measures for UK users, with potential fines up to 10% of global revenue or court-ordered blocks if non-compliant.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall affirmed government support for Ofcom’s actions. As reported by BBC News journalists, she stated that Ofcom would have complete backing should it employ its powers.
In a related development at a Parliamentary Labour Party meeting, Prime Minister Keir Starmer addressed X’s handling of Grok directly. Peter Stefanovic said in X post,
“If X cannot control Grok, we will – and we’ll do it fast because if you profit from harm and abuse, you lose the right to self regulate,” Keir Starmer has told a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party.
“If X cannot control Grok, we will – and we’ll do it fast because if you profit from harm and abuse, you lose the right to self regulate,” Keir Starmer has told a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Partyhttps://t.co/3z6DmnHMDk
— Peter Stefanovic (@PeterStefanovi2) January 13, 2026
UK Government backs potential X blockade
Liz Kendall emphasised urgency, noting that Ofcom must act swiftly on Grok’s outputs, described as “despicable and abhorrent”. She urged X to remove harmful material, citing Online Safety Act provisions for blocking non-compliant services.
Kendall added,
“I would remind xAI that the Online Safety Act Includes the power to block services from being accessed in the UK, if they refuse to comply with UK law. If Ofcom decide to use those powers they will have our full support.”
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy raised concerns during a meeting with US Vice President JD Vance. Vance concurred that sexualised deepfake images were unacceptable.
In his meeting with Vance in the US earlier this week, Lammy told The Guardian that he addressed the risks of Grok
“and the horrendous, horrific situation in which this new technology is allowing deepfakes and the manipulation of images of women and children, which is just absolutely abhorrent.”
Lammy added,
“He agreed with me that it was entirely unacceptable. I think he recognised the very seriousness with which images of women and children could be manipulated in this way, and he recognised how despicable, unacceptable, that is – and I found him sympathetic to that position.”
After reviewing a chart indicating that the UK leads in arrests over online content, Mr Musk questioned the government’s approach, tweeting,
“Why is the UK Government so fascist?”
US lawmakers threaten sanctions and visa bans
A State Department source told The Telegraph that UK officials could face being barred from the US over plans to ban X, according to Cameron Henderson and Connor Stringer of The Telegraph.
“Figures in Washington are planning to question officials that travel to the United States, either at the border or in the country itself, possibly even subpoenaed,”
another insider said.
Republican Congresswoman Anna Paulina Luna warned of legislation targeting the UK and Prime Minister Starmer if X faces a ban. As reported by GB News journalists, Luna stated she would pursue sanctions akin to those against Brazil, including tariffs and visa revocations, while framing it as opposition to efforts against free speech.
Sarah Rogers, Undersecretary for Public Diplomacy at the State Department, criticized the UK government’s proposed measures on X, comparing them to tactics used by Russian President Vladimir Putin and calling them a “Russia-style” ban.
She added that the US can circumvent any restrictions if implemented, telling Newsmax,
“The American government has a full range of tools that we can use to facilitate uncensored internet access for people in closed societies where the Government tries to ban it.”
Sources told The Telegraph that the first round of visa restrictions was designed to send a firm message to Sir Keir, but blocking X could escalate tensions further.
According to someone close to the discussions, added,
“The Westminster establishment and the US have had a shift in values that has been ongoing for years. Obviously, the special relationship would cease if the UK banned US tech giants.”
A state department spokesman continued,
“As a general matter, we do not preview any potential visa or sanctions actions. The United States will continue to take all necessary actions to protect the free speech rights of our citizens from foreign threats.”
Prior US visa actions against UK figures
In December 2025, the US denied visas to five Europeans, including UK individuals Imran Ahmed and Clare Melford, for alleged advocacy of censorship. Secretary of State Marco Rubio cited coercion of US tech firms.
This action suspended a US-UK tech cooperation deal linked to the Online Safety Act.
Transatlantic clash on free speech and safety
The dispute highlights the UK’s priorities on child safety in contrast to the US’s emphasis on free speech under President Trump. Ofcom is engaging X on content safeguards, with X pledging to remove illegal material.
David Lammy noted Vance’s sympathy for deepfakes despite US resistance.
UK officials stress the Act focuses on child protection. Kendall highlighted sexualised child images as a grave crime.
A commentator offered a counterview on practical enforcement limits. WolvenOne said in X post,
“Assuming that’s what he actually said: Then no he can’t really control Grok, or any other major AI provider, as they’re fully outside the UK’s jurisdiction. He can try to cut off access to the service, but that’s it, and such an attempt would be almost completely ineffective.
First, if China can’t stop its own citizens from accessing foreign sites with all the walls they put in place, than the UK has absolutely no chance of preventing it either. Second, Grok isn’t actually a particularly good image generator, in my experience. You can run more versatile models locally even on relatively modest hardware, and they can do the exact same thing.
So if Stardolt’s goal it to stop getting people to stop make AI images of himself in a Bikini, cutting access to Grok off wouldn’t prevent that. Mind you, that’s very clearly not the goal. No, the goal has always been to find a way to clamp down on X and any other American owned platform that allows any real level of open discourse. Because don’t you know it, knowing people are free makes Starmurk cry into his pillow at night.”
Assuming that’s what he actually said: Then no he can’t really control Grok, or any other major AI provider, as they’re fully outside the UK’s jurisdiction. He can try to cut off access to the service, but that’s it, and such an attempt would be almost completely ineffective.…
— WolvenOne (@Wolvenone) January 13, 2026
What upcoming regulations could mean for Grok AI and Deepfakes?
The UK will this week enforce provisions of the Data (Use and Access) Act that make it a criminal offence to create non‑consensual intimate images using AI, following public outcry over sexualised deepfakes generated by Elon Musk’s Grok AI. The move targets behaviour that was previously legal to produce, even if sharing such content was already banned under existing law.
Ofcom, the UK’s online safety regulator, has also launched a formal investigation into X over alleged failures to protect users from illegal content linked to Grok. If found in breach of its duties, X could face fines of up to 10% of global revenue or £18 million and even have access blocked in the UK.
The law is being brought into force alongside broader debate on how to regulate AI while balancing free speech and online safety, with government ministers calling for stronger platform accountability.
What is Grok AI?
Grok is an artificial intelligence chatbot developed by xAI, a company founded by Elon Musk. Launched in late 2023, it integrates directly into the X platform, formerly Twitter, to provide conversational responses, image generation, and real-time information processing.
Designed with a focus on “maximum truth-seeking,” Grok uses advanced large language models to handle queries, often with fewer content restrictions than competitors like ChatGPT. Its image-editing feature, powered by Flux technology, has drawn scrutiny for enabling deepfake creation without robust safeguards.