UK ministers are considering leaving X in response to controversy over the platform’s AI tool, which has allowed users to generate sexualised images of children with their clothes removed. Anna Turley, chair of the Labour party and a minister without portfolio, confirmed on Friday that conversations were under way within government and the party about continued use of the social media platform controlled by Elon Musk.
Turley told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme that X must “get its act together and prevent this” and that there should be “firm consequences”. She added: “Those conversations are ongoing across government. I think all of us in politics are evaluating our use of social media.” Asked if she would personally leave the site, she said she had thought about it “a lot over the past few months”.
On Friday, X said it was limiting use of Grok’s image-creating tool to paid users only. The government has so far resisted calls to leave the platform, focusing instead on powers available to media regulator Ofcom under the Online Safety Act, which could include preventing the company’s access to certain technology and funding – potentially amounting to a de facto ban in the UK.
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”. Several prominent MPs and committees, including the women and equalities committee, have already stopped using the site. Former transport secretary Louise Haigh called for the government to leave, saying it would be “unconscionable” to use it “for another minute”.
However, some argue the government should remain on the platform, which has over 500 million monthly active users. James Lyons, a former director of communications to Starmer, said political communicators should use all available platforms to persuade people. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage declined to say whether he would stop taking payments from X for his posts, saying he was “very worried” about the images but believed the company would listen to criticism.
