The UK government has criticised Elon Musk’s platform X for restricting Grok AI image-editing features to paying users, calling the move “insulting” to victims of sexual violence and misogyny.
Downing Street said on Friday that limiting the feature “simply turns an AI feature that allows the creation of unlawful images into a premium service.” The comments follow widespread criticism after Grok digitally altered images of people by removing their clothing, a feature now reportedly available only to subscribers.
A government spokesperson said the decision demonstrated that X “can move swiftly when it wants to do so” but stressed that the platform must act immediately. “It is time for X to grip this issue. If another media company had billboards showing unlawful images, it would act immediately to take them down or face public backlash,” the spokesperson said.
Despite the restriction on X, Grok’s image-editing tool remains unrestricted when accessed through its separate app and website. The Liberal Democrats have urged that access to X in the UK be temporarily limited while the platform is investigated.
Professor Clare McGlynn, an expert in the legal regulation of pornography and online abuse, criticised the platform for withdrawing access for most users rather than implementing safeguards. “Instead of taking responsible steps to ensure Grok could not be used for abusive purposes, it has withdrawn access for the vast majority of users,” she said.
Hannah Swirsky, head of policy at the Internet Watch Foundation, said restricting access to paying users does not undo the harm already caused. The charity previously reported that analysts had identified criminal imagery of girls aged 11 to 13, apparently created using Grok. “Sitting and waiting for unsafe products to be abused before taking action is unacceptable,” Swirsky said.
Grok allows users to request image edits directly in posts or replies, a feature that has been misused to digitally strip individuals of clothing. Many victims have reported feeling “humiliated” and “dehumanised” by these requests. As of Friday, the tool now prompts users that “image generation and editing are currently limited to paying subscribers” and offers a subscription to unlock the features.
Some reports indicate that only verified users, marked with a blue tick, can successfully access image edits on X. Dr. Daisy Dixon, a Cardiff University lecturer, welcomed the change but said it was only a temporary measure. “Grok needs to be totally redesigned and have built-in ethical guardrails to prevent this from ever happening again,” she said.
Lib Dem MPs have called on Ofcom, the UK’s communications regulator, to use its powers under the Online Safety Act to restrict access to X while an investigation is conducted. Downing Street confirmed full support for any regulatory action, including a potential ban.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer previously described images generated by Grok as “disgraceful” and “disgusting,” while Conservatives also condemned deepfake imagery as “absolutely abhorrent.”
