What began as an AI image feature quickly turned into an international crisis. After Grok generated pornographic deepfakes, X moved to contain the fallout by restricting access.
The company’s attempt to curb the controversy by limiting Grok’s image generation to paying subscribers has prompted further backlash. According to a Jan. 9 report from CNN, this response has done nothing to appease critics, with government officials from the US, UK, EU, and Asia pushing for harsher actions over the safety and ethical failures of Grok.
Since the controversy began on Dec. 28, 2025, a flurry of events has occurred involving several nations. Here are five of the biggest stories that have so far shaped the trajectory of this news.
- 1. US senators push for Apple and Google to take down Grok and its parent platform X
- 2. The UK is considering banning X
- 3. Alleged mother of Elon’s 13th child among those affected
- 4. India threatens strict regulations, with Malaysia joining the pressure forces
- 5. Elon Musk seemingly double stance on the controversy
- What comes next, for X, affected individuals, and others?
1. US senators push for Apple and Google to take down Grok and its parent platform X
Three US senators are urging Apple and Google to remove X and its independent AI app, Grok, from their app stores. Citing violations of the app stores’ terms of distribution, the senators wrote a letter to the tech giants, saying:
“Turning a blind eye to X’s egregious behavior would make a mockery of your moderation practices. Indeed, not taking action would undermine your claims in public and in court that your app stores offer a safer user experience than letting users download apps directly from their phones.”
The letter, signed by US senators Roy Wyden, Ben Ray Luján, and Edward J. Markey, carries a response deadline of Jan. 23. Until then, observers anticipate the tech giants to decide whose side they are on.
2. The UK is considering banning X
The UK’s Office of Communications (Ofcom) is considering a ban on X and Grok, according to this BBC report.
Liz Kendell, the UK’s technology secretary, advocates for the ban and says that she would support Ofcom if it moves forward with the ban. X’s status in the country remains uncertain, though it is currently active.
According to the BBC, 13 Labour Members of Parliament in their WhatsApp groups have already called on the UK government to stop using X as a communication channel. The call suggests a rise in support for the ban, still under consideration.
Although there have been no official moves yet to pass a motion for this ban or to impose a possible fine, top government officials have all condemned X for the act. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer called it a “disgraceful” and “disgusting” act and demanded that X act immediately.
3. Alleged mother of Elon’s 13th child among those affected
Children’s author Ashley St. Clair told The Independent that she was targeted by some X users in this sexual scandal. According to her, some of her photos, including one from when she was 14, were part of the photos that were sexually altered by Grok AI.
She is not the only one affected. Many other women and children saw their photos altered, with requests instructing the AI to undress them, put them in bikinis, or change their position to a sexually suggestive one.
In an X post, she also requested that anyone who was affected by the flood of sexual images generated by Grok reach out to her. She has since made moves to get her altered images removed, according to several X posts. However, a Jan. 10 post from her indicates that X has revoked her verification check faster than they responded to her removal request.
4. India threatens strict regulations, with Malaysia joining the pressure forces
India, which has over 23 million of its population on X, making it the fifth-largest userbase, has, alongside Malaysia, joined other countries in demanding that X do the right thing.
The government of India, through its parliamentary committee, is recommending that the platform be regulated in the country over these concerns, which it says are against its laws.
The Malaysian government, after repeated notices to X to curb the use of its AI for generating sexual images of women and children, has moved to temporarily restrict Grok in the country.
One report from local news outlet, The Star, on Jan. 11 claims the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission (MCMC) reported this restriction, saying:
“The restriction is imposed as a preventive and proportionate measure while legal and regulatory processes are ongoing.”
5. Elon Musk seemingly double stance on the controversy
With several calls from government officials across different continents to counter X’s Grok AI, Musk has apologized, or seems to, and in one case, called the threats an attack on X.
The billionaire CEO claimed that the UK government is attempting to suppress free speech. His claim that the UK threat is an attack on X comes after he boasted that Grok is still the most downloaded app in the UK.
On January 3, he posted on X saying: “Anyone using Grok to make illegal content will suffer the same consequences as if they upload illegal content.”
X limited Grok’s ability to generate images from a post to subscribed users only. However, the standalone app is still available to anyone, with all its features intact. As a result, it received more backlash from affected individuals and governments.
Grok itself has offered an apology when prompted by an X user and, on request from another user, issued a “defiant non-apology,” suggesting a double stance.
What comes next, for X, affected individuals, and others?
Unlike previous issues regarding privacy and regulations, this case is different. In the coming days, we expect X to make amends, penalize users who engaged in this conduct, publicly issue an apology, and implement strict guardrails on Grok.
There is also a chance that X users engaged in this act could be sued due to the gravity of the matter, but that is uncertain at the moment.
Countries involved could pursue a number of actions. Total bans, partial restrictions, and even legal action on behalf of affected citizens are among the possibilities in the next few days.
Huge fines are also possible, with a portion of the money potentially going to affected individuals; however, no reports on this have emerged yet.
Also read: UK families are also being warned about deepfakes, with a new “Fake or Real?” campaign offering practical guidance.