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UK Regulator Maintains Investigation Into X Over Illegal Content Despite Improved Response Times
The United Kingdom's communications regulator, Ofcom, has maintained concerns about the effectiveness of content moderation on Elon Musk's social medi...
By Wavers News
In an update published on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, Ofcom said X had met agreed targets for reviewing reports of suspected illegal hate speech and terrorist content. However, the regulator warned that faster responses did not necessarily mean the platform was removing such material effectively.
The update comes as Ofcom advances its investigation into whether X has complied with its legal obligations to protect people in Britain from illegal online content. The regulator also disclosed further restrictions introduced for Grok, the artificial intelligence chatbot associated with X, following discussions with its developer, SpaceXAI.
The investigation is examining the platform's approach to illegal content, its reporting and complaints systems, and the effectiveness of measures intended to protect users, including children.
X MEETS AGREED TARGETS FOR REVIEWING REPORTS
Ofcom's latest assessment follows X's submission of its first quarterly performance report under commitments made to the regulator in May 2026.
Under those commitments, X agreed to review reports of suspected illegal hate and terrorist content submitted through its dedicated UK reporting tool within an average of 24 hours over a three-month period.
The company also committed to reviewing and assessing at least 85 per cent of those reports within a maximum of 48 hours.
Ofcom said the first quarterly report appeared to show improvements compared with evidence examined earlier in the year. X's performance fell within the agreed response-time requirements.
The regulator nevertheless said it would examine the company's submitted data and compare the figures with the results of its own testing.
Ofcom also stressed that X must sustain the improvements achieved so far. Meeting a review deadline does not, by itself, establish whether a platform has correctly identified illegal material or taken appropriate action to remove it.
The distinction is central to the regulator's concerns: the speed at which a complaint is reviewed and the effectiveness of the resulting moderation decision are separate measures of performance.
INVESTIGATION MOVES TO COMPLIANCE AND REPORTING SYSTEMS
Ofcom opened its investigation into X in January 2026 following concerns about the use of Grok to create and distribute sexualised images that could constitute illegal content, including deepfake images involving real people and children.
During the investigation, the regulator gathered information using its formal powers to examine how X assessed the risk of illegal material appearing on its platform, how easily users could report suspected offences and how the company handled moderation decisions.
The investigation has now entered a phase in which Ofcom will determine whether X has fulfilled its legal responsibilities under Britain's Online Safety Act.
The regulator said it would concentrate the remaining investigation on X's handling of illegal content and the systems through which users report material and make complaints.
Ofcom has not announced a final finding that X breached the law. If it concludes that there are reasonable grounds to believe the company failed to meet its duties, it will issue a provisional view explaining its proposed findings. X would then have an opportunity to respond before a final decision is made.
AGE-RESTRICTED MATERIAL PROMPTS FURTHER ACTION
Ofcom also identified weaknesses in the way age-restricted pornographic material was being controlled on X.
The regulator found that, in some circumstances, users who had not completed the platform's age-verification process could still access such material.
X has since changed its systems so that content labelled as pornography is consistently restricted for accounts that have not completed the required age-assurance checks.
Ofcom said it would continue monitoring the effectiveness of these safeguards while directing the remaining investigation towards illegal-content moderation and the handling of complaints.
The changes are particularly relevant to the regulator's responsibility to protect children from harmful or illegal material online. However, continued monitoring means the effectiveness of the revised systems remains an issue for regulatory scrutiny rather than a matter that has been permanently settled.
GROK INTRODUCES ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS IN BRITAIN
Alongside the changes made to X, SpaceXAI, formerly known as xAI, has introduced further restrictions on the standalone Grok service following discussions with Ofcom.
According to the regulator, users accessing the service from UK internet addresses are now restricted from viewing, generating or sharing pornographic content through Grok's image-generation tools.
Restrictions have also been applied to companion chatbots, including Ani, to prevent them from engaging in sexually explicit conversations with users in Britain.
The changes extend the measures taken after Ofcom raised concerns about the creation and circulation of sexualised images through AI tools.
The regulator said it would continue monitoring how the restrictions operate and maintain engagement with SpaceXAI.
Ofcom has previously highlighted gaps in the Online Safety Act that limit its ability to investigate certain activities involving standalone chatbot services. The latest restrictions address some of the concerns raised during its engagement with the company, but they do not remove the need to assess compliance with the law.
REGULATOR TO CONTINUE SCRUTINY
Ofcom's latest update indicates that X has improved the speed with which it reviews reports of suspected illegal hate and terrorist content, but questions remain about the effectiveness of its response.
The regulator will continue examining the company's performance data, compare it with independent testing and monitor whether the agreed response standards are maintained.
Its investigation will also assess the platform's reporting and complaints procedures and determine whether its approach to illegal content satisfies its legal obligations in Britain.
For X and SpaceXAI, the next steps will involve demonstrating that the revised moderation and access restrictions work effectively in practice.
The investigation remains ongoing, and Ofcom has not yet issued a final decision on whether X has breached the Online Safety Act.