UK regulator Ofcom says X still falling short on illegal content removal

Britain’s online safety regulator, Ofcom, has questioned Elon Musk’s X and its efforts to remove illegal hate speech and terrorist content on the platform, despite the commitment to a faster handling of user reports.

Faster reviews, but no effective removal

X’s first quarterly performance report showed it had met deadlines for reviewing suspected illegal posts. Ofcom’s concern goes beyond how quickly those reviews are completed though. The regulator is more interested in what actions the platform takes after the reviews.

“We have ongoing concerns around the effectiveness of X’s response to taking down illegal hate and terror content,” the regulator stated. Ofcom added that it had “received mixed reports around the sustained delivery of X’s commitment to engage with third-party experts.”

In May, X agreed to review reports submitted through its UK reporting tool within an average of 24 hours and resolve at least 85% within 48 hours over a three-month period.

Ofcom said X met both targets and processed reports faster than earlier in the year. The regulator will now independently verify the figures and publish another assessment early next year.

Grok investigation moves toward decision

The update also addressed Ofcom’s separate investigation into X, launched in January after reports that its Grok chatbot was being used to create sexual images without consent, including images of children.

Ofcom said it had gathered extensive evidence using its formal powers and was now assessing if X had any possible breaches of its obligations under the Online Safety Act.

If the regulator finds reasonable grounds to suspect a breach, it will issue provisional findings and give X an opportunity to respond before reaching a final decision.

Ofcom found during its probe that users without verified adult status could still access pornography on X. X has since limited access to the material to age-verified accounts, allowing the regulator to focus on the platform’s handling of illegal content and reporting tools.

Pressure building on several fronts

X is facing a lot of scrutiny, even beyond the UK regulator’s clutches. SpaceXAI, formerly known as xAI, has restricted the standalone Grok app in the UK, preventing users from viewing, creating or sharing pornographic images through its image tool, The Next Web reported.

Companion bots such as “Ani” can also no longer engage in sexual conversations with UK users.

One UK lawmaker has asked the High Court to block Grok from producing sexual images, while Ireland’s media regulator is evaluating X over age checks.

Ofcom has recently been very critical of major platforms, with X, Meta and TikTok having recently challenged parts of the regulator’s powers to gather information in court. Meta has also separately contested how Ofcom calculates fees and penalties.

Under the Online Safety Act, companies found in breach face fines of up to £18 million or 10% of their qualifying worldwide revenue, whichever is higher.