Regulations

January 23, 2026, 12:44 PM EST. UK's government is weighing a ban on Elon Musk's X after ministers cited concerns about the Grok AI tool, which can manipulate images of women and children to remove clothes. The government's tough stance marks a high-stakes test for the platform's content controls and accountability. Reporter Lucy Hough spoke with Guardian senior national editor Aaron Sharp for context on the policy debate and potential consequences for X's operations in the UK. Officials argue the tool and its outputs could amount to serious harms, while X says it polices content under existing rules. The interview frames a broader fight over AI-enabled manipulation and platform responsibility as regulators press for tighter safeguards.