UK ministers are reportedly considering leaving the social media platform X following controversy over its AI tool, Grok, which allowed users to generate sexually explicit images of children. Anna Turley, Labour party chair and Cabinet Office minister, confirmed on Friday that discussions are ongoing within the government and Labour about continued use of the platform owned by Elon Musk.
Turley told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that X must “get its act together” and prevent such abuse, adding that “firm consequences” are needed. She stated that conversations about leaving the site are happening across government, as many in politics evaluate their social media use. Asked about her personal use, she said she has “thought about that a lot over the past few months.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Thursday that X “has got to get a grip of this” and that Ofcom has full support to take action under the Online Safety Act, including powers that could lead to a de facto ban in the UK. He added, “This is wrong. It’s unlawful. We’re not going to tolerate it.”
Some MPs and committees have already left X, including the women and equalities committee, whose chair Sarah Owen called the site “not an appropriate platform.” Former transport secretary Louise Haigh urged the government to leave immediately, saying it would be “unconscionable” to stay. However, others argue for remaining to engage with the platform’s 500 million monthly users. James Lyons, former communications director to Starmer, said political communicators should use all available platforms to persuade people.
X announced on Friday it would limit Grok’s image creation to paid users only. The government has so far resisted calls to leave, focusing on regulatory action by Ofcom.
