It is doing so by introducing a new criminal offense to tackle the growing issue of deepfakes. This blog series primarily focuses on the one developed by Grok AI. As of yesterday, Liz Kendall, the Minister for Digital and Culture, signaled the enforcement of this new law. The bill was one of the provisions of the Data (Use and Access) Act passed into law in June 2025. This new program addresses the mounting concerns over the abuse of technology like AI. The Act’s stated purpose is to protect children from the predatory creation of harmful and misleading content.
Kendall emphasized that the responsibility for addressing deepfakes extends beyond individual creators to include platforms that host such material, particularly X, formerly known as Twitter. She underscored that accountability goes far past personal actions. It’s important to hold each gatekeeper to the highest standard possible for transparency and accountability.
Dating of material heinous, Ofcom has announced a investigation into X following receipt of these extremely troubling reports. These accounts point to Grok’s capacity to change images of persons without their authorization. This investigation further demonstrates the government’s continued focus on the need to examine platforms and hold them accountable for content they host.
The new bill would make it a crime to produce or solicit sexually explicit deepfakes of adults. Sharing intimate images without consent remains a criminal offense under the Online Safety Act. Kendall said that this new step will strengthen the work done last year in the Crime and Policing Bill to address the spread of nudification apps. Minister of Justice, Kerry-Lynne Findlay expressed, “This new criminal offense will make it illegal for companies that produce the tools used to create non-consensual intimate images. We’re getting at the root of the problem.
In his statements at the hearing, Kendall countered criticism that the federal government has ignored the problem. As a result, her announcement has raised eyebrows and questions from political insiders and legal scholars across the spectrum. Legal analyst Jamie Hurworth underscored how serious Kendall’s statements are. They are the clearest indication yet of how serious the government is about taking action on the matter. He added that this is “an indicator of how seriously the government are now taking this issue.” Yet, he warned against the practical limits of law enforcement when it comes to fighting these crimes.
Hurworth focused on whether police overstretching is an indicator of being under-resourced. They rely on these resources to carry out their work investigating crimes and bringing criminals to justice. He highlighted the need for shared accountability from all actors in the development and promotion of risky content.
The rapid political dynamics on this issue have led to responses from heavyweight players, such as Elon Musk. Even the head of X, formerly known as Twitter, could not hide his concerns over the federal government’s actions. He accused the UK government of searching for “any excuse for censorship.” His comments are part of a very long thread of comments about the tension between freedom of expression and new regulatory frameworks.
Shadow Technology Secretary Julia Lopez has welcomed Ofcom’s investigation into X. She made very strong signals of support for the government’s approach on nudification tools. She called out Kendall over plans to restrict UK access to X. This points to a growing divide within political circles on how to approach these thorny issues.
Kendall has been clear about the intent behind these new measures, stating, “This is not, as some would claim, about restricting freedom of speech. It is about tackling violence against women and girls.” The government aims to create a safer online environment while ensuring that platforms are held accountable for their role in perpetuating harmful content.
Even Sir Keir Starmer, Labour’s leader of the opposition, has pulled no punches. He claimed that if X is not able to do a good job with Grok, then the government will step in with both feet. “If you profit from harm and abuse, you lose the right to self-regulate,” Starmer stated. He further emphasized the legal ramifications for individuals who create or prompt illegal content through Grok: “This means individuals are committing a criminal offence if they create or seek to create such content including on X.”
Lawmakers on the federal and state levels are aggressively fighting against the new menace of deepfakes. Alongside this, they are looking deeply into the meaning of freedom of expression. The key to providing this accountability lies in unparalleled transparency — transparency that is necessary to make our users of all ages safer on digital platforms.