British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has sought to broaden international cooperation on confronting the social media platform X and its artificial intelligence tools amid increasing alarm over harmful content, but attempts to secure allied support for an outright ban have encountered resistance.

Starmer has framed the issue as a matter of public safety and online protection after deepfake images generated by X’s AI model, Grok, drew fierce criticism from leaders and regulators alike for producing sexualised content involving minors and adults without consent.

The prime minister’s initiative to engage partners including Canada and Australia reflects growing global concern about unchecked generative AI on social networks.

Officials in Ottawa made clear they would not endorse a blanket ban on X, rejecting the notion of following the UK’s contemplated approach even as they acknowledged the need for stronger safeguards against exploitative or illegal content.

This retreat by Canada represents a notable setback for the UK’s bid to forge a united front on what London views as emerging digital harms.

In contrast, Australian leaders have been more forthright in condemning X’s AI-generated images as “completely abhorrent” and signalling support for robust regulation to protect users, particularly children, from unsafe material.

The controversy stems from widespread circulation of deepfake and sexualised images generated through Grok, prompting British authorities to empower the communications regulator to explore all options, including potential blocking of the platform if it fails to comply with national online safety laws.

Starmer described the content as “disgraceful” and emphasised that government action to enforce stricter oversight remains under consideration.

Critics of X’s handling of the issue have called for greater regulatory clout, with some urging that public bodies withdraw their presence from the platform in protest and the regulator launching formal inquiries into potential breaches of safety obligations.

The contrasting reactions among Western allies underscore the complexity of addressing digital platform risks at a transnational level.

While Starmer continues to press for coordinated action and to elevate the urgency of tackling harmful AI capabilities, allied governments are taking varied approaches — from rejecting outright bans to strengthening enforcement of existing digital safety frameworks.

The unfolding debate highlights the challenges democratic states face in balancing free expression with the imperative to curb exploitative and dangerous online content in an era of rapidly evolving technology.