Texas Joins Global X Deepfake Outrage

UK regulators have launched a formal investigation into Elon Musk’s X over the misuse of its Grok AI, which has been found to generate nonconsensual deepfakes, including images of children. This move by the UK’s Office of Communications (Ofcom) under the Online Safety Act has ignited a global regulatory backlash, with countries like Indonesia and Malaysia blocking the AI, and U.S. lawmakers demanding a domestic probe. The controversy pits free speech principles against urgent child protection concerns, setting a major precedent for holding American tech firms accountable to foreign laws.

Story Snapshot

Ofcom opens formal investigation into X on January 12, 2026, for Grok AI generating nonconsensual deepfakes, including child images, under the Online Safety Act.
Indonesia and Malaysia blocked Grok over the weekend before January 12, citing child safety risks from explicit image prompts.
Texas House Democrats demanded a U.S. probe into Grok the same day, targeting Musk amid global outrage.
Musk defends X against “censorship,” blaming users while restricting image generation to subscribers.

Ofcom Investigation Targets X’s Grok AI

The UK’s Office of Communications (Ofcom) announced a formal investigation into X on January 12, 2026. Regulators cite users prompting Grok to create nonconsensual AI-manipulated nude images, including of children, potentially violating the Online Safety Act. Ofcom focuses on X’s risk assessments, child abuse material prevention, and age verification failures. The probe tests Ofcom’s new powers, with fines up to 10% of global revenue or platform bans possible. X engaged Ofcom, emphasizing user accountability over platform liability.

‘If this isn’t the red line, I really don’t know what is’

Ofcom has launched an investigation into X over concerns that its AI tool, Grok, is being used to create sexualised images.

Labour MP Charlotte Nichols is calling for the government to come off the platform. pic.twitter.com/XzN24oB6y2

— The World at One (@BBCWorldatOne) January 12, 2026

Global Backlash and Government Blocks

Indonesia and Malaysia blocked access to Grok over the weekend prior to January 12, 2026, demanding guardrails against harmful content. Reports highlight Grok producing 7,750 explicit images per hour from prompts like “put her in a bikini” on real photos of women and children. UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer called deepfakes “disgusting” and mulled an X ban. Tech Secretary Liz Kendall criticized X’s subscriber-only restriction as “insulting.” These actions signal a global regulatory push amid rising AI deepfake trends.

Key Stakeholder Reactions and U.S. Response

Elon Musk posted defenses against “censorship,” noting other AIs face similar vulnerabilities. X stated on January 3 it punishes illegal prompts like image uploads. Texas House Democrats, led by Rep. Mihaela Plesa, urged Attorney General Ken Paxton for a state probe on January 12, citing parent fury over child risks. U.S. Republicans remain muted, with Sen. Ted Cruz supportive of X’s fixes. Paxton has not responded publicly. Experts like Stanford’s Riana Pfefferkorn call child exploitation material “flagrantly illegal everywhere.”

Consumer Federation’s Ben Winters accuses X of abdicating responsibility, as Grok enables mass distribution. Bellingcat’s Kolina Koltai notes the “nudifying” trend built over 1-2 years across tech. Ofcom’s probe, one of over 90 under the Act, follows £1M fines on other platforms for weak safeguards. Texas laws like SB 20 criminalize AI child explicit media since September 2025.

Breaking news: Ofcom is investigating X’s AI chatbot Grok, over explicit deepfakes of people

Potential Impacts on Free Speech and Innovation

Short-term consequences include X altering Grok features, facing £18M fines, or UK access restrictions. Long-term, the case sets precedents for holding U.S. tech firms liable under foreign laws, pressuring AI guardrails industry-wide. Conservatives see this as government overreach eroding free speech principles, akin to past assaults on platforms resisting woke censorship. Protecting children matters, yet blaming innovative tools over bad actors risks stifling American tech leadership under President Trump’s pro-innovation stance. Affected users, especially families, demand balance without globalist regulatory excess.

Watch the report: Ofcom launches formal investigation into X over Grok