Sir Keir Starmer seems to be subtly avoiding X, the platform embroiled in controversy over Elon Musk’s decision to allow the generation of sexualized images involving women and children. The Prime Minister has not engaged with the site since January 8, fueling theories of a purposeful avoidance. Meanwhile, Starmer remains active on platforms like Instagram and TikTok. The uproar centers around Grok, an AI tool on X, which has been used to produce illicit content, including child exploitation material, sparking widespread condemnation.

In response, X recently restricted Grok’s image creation and editing features to its paying users, a move that has only intensified criticism. Elon Musk faces accusations of profiting from such abuse, with government officials condemning the decision as disrespectful to victims. Ofcom is actively investigating X under the Online Safety Act, and officials have not dismissed the possibility of banning the platform, pending the outcome of the investigation. On Monday, Downing Street stated it is reassessing its presence on X, amidst calls from Labour MPs for the government to deactivate its official accounts.

However, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall sought to temper expectations about the government leaving X. In the House of Commons, she noted the significance of the platform, highlighting that 19 million users in the UK, over a quarter of whom regard it as their main news source, make it crucial for their viewpoints and factual information to be disseminated widely.

Neither Sir Keir’s official X account, nor that of No 10 Downing Street, titled ‘UK Prime Minister’ have posted on the site since last week. The last time the PM posted on X was on 8 January when he commented on Labour’s U-turn on scrapping the two-child benefit cap. A number of Sir Keir’s most recent posts have had a ‘community note’ attached, in which fellow X users have ‘added context they thought people might want to know’.

Speaking to Labour MPs in Parliament on Monday night, Sir Keir issued a warning that if X cannot control Grok then ‘we will’. Addressing a meeting of the Parliamentary Labour Party, the PM said: ‘The actions of Grok and X are absolutely disgusting and shameful. Protecting their abusive users, rather than the women and children who are being abused shows a total distortion of priorities.’

Starmer added: ‘So let me be crystal clear, we won’t stand for it, because no matter how unstable or complex the world becomes, this Government will be guided by its values. We’ll stand up for the vulnerable against the powerful. If X cannot control Grok, we will. And we’ll do it fast because if you profit from harm and abuse, you lose the right to self regulate.’