Grok changes ‘insulting to victims’, says No 10 after deepfake creation restricted to paying subscribers
Changes to Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence (AI) chatbot are “insulting” to victims of misogyny and sexual violence and will only serve to make deepfake creation a “premium service”, Downing Street has said.
The “Grok” tool on
The move comes after Sir Keir Starmer stated that the social media platform could be blocked in the UK after “illegal” and “disgusting” images were created.
The Prime Minister’s spokesman said changes to limit the use of the AI imaging tool to paying users were “not a solution” but proved that Elon Musk’s social media site X could move quickly when it wanted to.
A spokesman for the Prime Minister’s Office said on Friday: “This move… transforms an AI feature that allows the creation of illegal images into a premium service.
“This is not a solution. In fact, it insults victims of misogyny and sexual violence. It proves that X can act quickly when he wants to.”
He added: “You listened to the prime minister yesterday. He was very clear that X had to act and he had to act now, it’s time for X to get his hands on this.”
“If any other media company had billboards in city centers featuring illegal images, it would have taken immediate action to remove them or face public backlash.”
He reiterated that “all options” were on the table, including Ofcom exercising its power to “take no action”.
The platform has faced global backlash in recent days after its AI tool was repeatedly used to create nude images of people without permission.
Changes to the rules mean that only those whose names and payment details are registered can use it.
Leading domestic violence charity Refuge has warned that Grok subscriptions represent “monetising exploitation” and enable X to “profit from harm”.
“Restricting AI imaging to paid users may marginally reduce volume and increase traceability but abuse has not been stopped,” said Emma Pickering, head of technology-facilitated abuse and economic empowerment at Refuge.
“Simply by being placed behind a paywall, it has allowed
He added: “If platforms are allowing abuse to continue, or worse, profiting from it, the Government needs to intervene.”
Internet Watch Foundation (IWF) also confirmed that the tool was used to create “criminal images of children aged 11 to 13”.
Ofcom said on Monday it had made “urgent contact” with the tech company after serious concerns were raised.
Powers under the Online Safety Act state that in extreme cases and with the concurrence of the courts, Ofcom can require payment providers, advertisers and internet service providers to stop working with a site, effectively banning it from the UK.
The government has been under pressure to quit the social media platform altogether, with former transport secretary Louise Haigh telling ministers it was “inappropriate to use the site for another minute”.
On Friday minister Anna Turley confirmed “discussions are ongoing” regarding X’s departure.
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