Ofcom Launches Investigation into X Over Grok Deepfakes

UK regulator Ofcom officially announced on January 12, 2026, the launch of an investigation into platform X (formerly Twitter). The reason was the company's failure to prevent the spread of non-consensual sexualized images (NCII) generated by the Grok chatbot. This is the first major case under the enacted Online Safety Act.

The regulator is checking whether X breached its obligations to assess risks and protect users, especially minors. If found guilty, the company faces fines of up to 10% of global turnover. Experts call this case a "litmus test" for the entire GenAI industry: the era of algorithmic impunity in Europe and the UK has officially ended.

Source: Ofcom