tech
January 15, 2026
Starmer stands by possible X ban despite threats from US
United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer stood firm on the possibility of banning X unless the platform“immediately” curbs deepfake pornography.
TL;DR
- UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer threatened to ban X due to deepfake pornography.
- The issue is linked to xAI's chatbot Grok, which can alter images.
- Starmer stated free speech does not permit violating consent or creating non-consensual explicit images.
- Elon Musk argued a ban would be censorship, claiming other AI chatbots also alter photos.
- Starmer welcomed X's commitment to complying with UK law and indicated preparedness to strengthen laws if necessary.
- Grok was released after Musk's purchase of Twitter, with Grok Imagine released in July 2025.
- X was previously fined by the EU for insufficient data access and deceptive verified markers.
- The Trump administration has historically defended X, and Musk advised Trump.
- A State Department official suggested retribution against the UK if X is banned.
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