Grok deepfake restrictions a ‘vindication’ for Starmer – sources

Elon Musk’s pledge to stop X’s AI chatbot Grok making sexualised images of people is a “vindication for Keir Starmer”, Downing Street sources have said.

The company has announced that it had imposed restrictions on “editing images of real people in revealing clothes such as bikinis”.

The move followed a days-long outcry over reports Grok was allowing users to manipulate images of children to sexualise them, leading to media watchdog Ofcom launching an investigation into X on Monday.

While Ofcom welcomed reports of the new restrictions, it said its investigation would continue as it seeks “answers into what went wrong and what’s being done to fix it”.

Sir Keir Starmer himself condemned Grok as “disgusting” and “shameful” earlier on Wednesday, saying the Government would not “back down” if X did not act.

Following reports that the company had imposed new restrictions on Grok, a Number 10 source said: “This is a vindication for Keir Starmer who has shown he will always stand up for the people of this country – including the vulnerable – against the most powerful.”

Mr Musk had previously claimed Grok would refuse to produce illegal content and appeared to blame “adversarial hacking” for the chatbot’s generation of sexualised images.

In a statement posted on X, the company later said it would “geoblock the ability of all users to generate images of real people in bikinis, underwear, and similar attire via the Grok account and in Grok in X in those jurisdictions where it’s illegal”.

Geoblocking prevents access to a feature for people based in particular countries, but the change still leaves open the possibility that it could be circumvented with a VPN.

The company said: “This adds an extra layer of protection by helping to ensure that individuals who attempt to abuse the Grok account to violate the law or our policies can be held accountable.”

The restriction will apply to all users, including paid subscribers, while image editing and creation will be limited to premium users.

A spokesperson for Ofcom said: “X has said it’s implemented measures to prevent the Grok account from being used to create intimate images of people.

“This is a welcome development. However, our formal investigation remains ongoing. We are working round the clock to progress this and get answers into what went wrong and what’s being done to fix it.”