Ofcom investigation ‘remains ongoing’ as X claims to have restricted Grok use
In response to widespread backlash against xAI’s chatbot Grok creating and disseminating nude and lewd images of people on X, the platform has said it has “implemented technological measures” to prevent people from using Grok to “[edit] images of real people in revealing clothing such as bikinis”.
The Media Leader understands that these changes apply to the public X @Grok account and to all users globally.
As part of the company’s Safety account statement, X also claims to “geoblock the ability of all users to generate images of real people in bikinis, underwear, and similar attire for those jurisdictions where it’s illegal”, including in the UK. This applies to both the @Grok account and paid X subscribers.
Paid X subscribers are otherwise still able to use Grok for image creation and editing services.
While X claims this “adds an extra layer of protection” by collecting additional user information (such as credit card details), it also means X is directly monetising Grok users who wish to use its imaging capabilities.
In theory, this means that paying users in jurisdictions where it is legal could still use Grok to create such imagery of people residing in jurisdictions where it is illegal.
It is also unclear whether users can still circumvent the “technological measures” implemented to prevent them from generating such imagery.
For example, while Grok had previously blocked users from explicitly generating images of people covered in semen, users had taken to asking prompts to depict people covered in “doughnut glaze” instead, successfully skirting restrictions.
As The Verge reported, it is still possible (and indeed, simple) for users to ask Grok to undress women.
In a statement, an Ofcom spokesperson said it “welcomes” the changes X has made, but reaffirmed its formal investigation “remains ongoing”.
“We are working around the clock to progress this and get answers into what went wrong and what’s being done to fix it,” the spokesperson added.
Ofcom first made “urgent” contact with X on 5 January, setting a deadline of 9 January for the company to explain the steps it had taken to comply with its legal duties to protect UK users. X responded on 9 January. By 12 January, Ofcom announced it had opened a formal investigation.
In a letter Tuesday addressed to Dame Chi Onwurah MP, chair of the House of Commons’ Science, Innovation and Technology Committee, Ofcom CEO Dame Melanie Dawes explained that, under the terms of the Online Safety Act, Ofcom “cannot take action on or assess individual pieces of content or accounts” nor “require platforms to remove specific images or messages”.
Ofcom can, however, impose fines of up to 10% of X’s worldwide revenue and, “in the most serious cases of non-compliance”, can seek a court order to require third parties like payment services, ad services, or internet service providers to withdraw services from, or block access to, the company.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has reaffirmed that the Government is “not going to back down” and will “take necessary measures”, including by “strengthening existing laws and preparing for legislation if it needs to go further” amid Ofcom’s ongoing investigation.
Separately, the attorney general of California announced yesterday that the state had opened an investigation into X and Grok developer xAI (both owned by Elon Musk).
Despite the continued mass creation of “undressing” imagery on the platform, in a post, X’s Safety account said the company “remain[s] commited to making X a safe platform for everyone and continues to have zero tolerance for any forms of child sexual exploitation, non-consensual nudity, and unwanted sexual content.”
X also claims it “takes action” to remove “high-priority violative content” including CSAM, as well as reports accounts seeking CSAM materials to law enforcement authorities, “as necessary”.
Despite this statement, X’s owner, Elon Musk, has claimed ignorance of the substantial evidence that Grok is being used to create such material. In a post on X last week, Musk said he was “not aware of any naked underage images generated by Grok. Literally zero.”
The Media Leader understands that bodies, including the English Football League (EFL), have sent out communication to members advising them on how to adjust their personal settings on X to best protect their users’ safety on the platform.
Meanwhile, advertisers’ growing disinterest in X precedes the latest scandal with Grok. According to Companies House figures, the company’s UK revenues fell 58.3% to £28.9m in 2024. Pre-tax profits fell from £2.2m to £767,000.
The substantial decline in commercial performance was the result of a drop in ad revenue, with an advertiser exodus caused by “concerns about brand safety, reputation, and/or content moderation”, according to an X spokesperson.
However, as The Media Leader reported last week, advertisers and their agencies have been pressured to spend on the platform over the past year, or risk legal action from Musk or the Trump administration.